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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDocumentation_Workshop_Tab 01_10/24/2019Agenda Item #1. Workshop STAFF MEMO Meeting: Workshop - Oct 24 2019 Staff Contact: Jeremy Allen, Village Manager Department: Manager Review and Set Legislative Priorities . - The adopted priorities will guide Village of Tecluesta's elected officials and staff in their work with state and federal legislators in the coming year. Staff has compiled a list of notable topics for discussion. Recommend legislative priorities to be considered for approval through resolution at a regularly scheduled council meeting. ATTACHMENT ' -A 2Combined with reso 10-21-19 Page 3 of 37 Agenda Item #1. SAMPLE RESOLUTION xxxx-xx A RESOLUTION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA, FLORIDA, SUPPORTING THE 2020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA; PRIORITIZING AGENDA LEGISLATION REGARDING MAINTAINING MUNCIPAL HOME RULE, RAIL SAFETY, MUNICIPAL REGULATION OF ANNEXATION THAT ELIMINATES ENCLAVES, FUNDING SOURCE FOR PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS FOR WATER QUALITY PRESERVATION AND ENHANCEMENT, RIGHT OF WAY PROTECTION AND THE ABILITY TO REGULATE WIRELESS COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT ON CITY PROPERTY WITHIN CITY RIGHTS OF WAY, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the Village of Tequesta wishes to engage in productive, focused dialogue with the Florida State Senate and House of Representatives; and WHEREAS, the State of Florida 2020 Legislative Session will convene on January 14, 2020;and WHEREAS, the Village of Tequesta is an active member of the Florida League of Cities and actively support the development of priorities for the 2020 Legislative Action Agenda; and WHEREAS, the Village of Tequesta prioritizes legislation which maintains Municipal Home Rule, rail safety and maintenance, municipal annexation which eliminates enclaves, programs and projects to preserve and enhance water quality, protection of municipal land and right of ways which regulates wireless communication equipment. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Village Council of the Village of Tequesta, that: Section One: The above recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein by reference. Section Two: The Village Council supports the formation of the 2020 Florida League of Cities Legislative Action Agenda attached hereto and incorporated as "Exhibit A" as part of the legislative priorities of the Village of Tequesta. Section Three: The Village Council hereby adopts as priorities legislation which maintains Municipal Home Rule, rail safety and maintenance, municipal annexation which eliminates enclaves, programs and projects to preserve and enhance water quality, protection of municipal land and right of ways which regulates wireless communication equipment. Section Four: The Village Clerk is directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the members of the Florida League of Cities and all local representatives. Page 4 of 37 Agenda Item #1. Section Five: This resolution shall take effective immediately upon its adoption. Resolution XXXX-XX Passed this gtn day of , 2019 by the Village of Tequesta the Village of Tequesta, Florida. Page 5 of 37 Agenda Item #1. Here is a link to the 2019 Final Legislative Report from this year's session as prepared by the Florida League of Cities (FLC) and a link to the FLC Legislative Bill Summaries. Both of these publications will provide an in-depth review of the bills and their outcome from this year's session as well as the League's stance on the issues. The 2020 Legislative Session is set to convene on January 14, 2020. Here are some issues that are alreadv filed: • SB Prohibition of Plastic Carryout Bags and Straws; Prohibiting a store or food service business from providing to a customer a carryout bag made of plastic film; prohibitinga food service business from selling or providing to a customer a single -use plastic straw, etc. (may be of interest to the EAC) • SB 182: Preemption of Recyclable and Polystyrene Materials; Deleting preemptions of local law relating to the regulation of auxiliary containers, wrappings, or disposable plastic bags; repealing the preemption of local laws regarding the use or sale of polystyrene products to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, etc. (may be of interest to the EAC) • SB 318: Sale of Sunscreen; Prohibiting the sale, offer for sale, or distribution of certain sunscreen products to a consumer who does not have a prescription for such product, etc. (may be of interest to the EAC) • SB 442: Primary Elections - Primary Elections; Requiring that a universal primary election open to all qualified electors, regardless of political party affiliation or lack thereof, be held for purposes of selecting candidates for specified federal, state, local, and district offices; specifying that the candidates receiving the highest and next highest number of votes in the universal primary election advance to the general election; modifying ballot layout requirements to conform to the addition of the universal primary election, etc. — I'm not sure if this would affect us or not, but our Charterstates the candidate for each seat receiving the highest number of votes cast for such office shall be deemed elected to such office regardless of whether or not such candidate shall have received a majority of votes cast. In the event of a tie vote between the candidates receiving the highest number of votes cast for any office, the names of all tied candidates shall be placed on the ballot and shall be voted upon at an ensuing runoff election to be held on the fourth (4th) Tuesday in March. Page 6 of 37 Agenda Item #1. Village of Tequesta's 2020 Legislative Priorities HOME RULr The Village of Tequesta supports Home Rule powers. Just as no two cities are alike, each city's menu of services is also different. The most important aspect of municipal services is that the services are created to meet the demands of the residents. Each city offers those services desired by its own citizenry. Home Rule powers were put in place so that government stays responsive to the people it serves. The desires and expectations of residents can only be met if municipal officials have the authority to respond to local needs and preferences, or to address them in a timely manner. We ask the Florida Legislature to LET CITIES WORK! RAIL SAFETY The Village of Tequesta SUPPORTS legislation that ensures the safety and minimal impact of the rail system to the community and environment. The Village of Tequesta does understand the need to maintain rail infrastructure and corridors and plan for the preservation of rights of way for future appropriate use; however the Village keeps the safety and well-being of its residents as the highest priority. The Village SUPPORTS legislation for funding of safety measures and quiet zones of crossings. The Village OPPOSES any obligation of Maintenance and Preservation of crossings being passed to local governments. Maintenance and preservation should not be passed onto the citizens of the Village. Instead cost should go to the users of the system and municipalities that may directly benefit through a local station. ANNEXATION We SUPPORT legislation that facilitates the municipal annexation of unincorporated areas, while protecting private property rights and respecting municipal boundaries. WATFR QUALITY SUPPORT legislation providing a recurring funding source for programs and projects for water quality preservation and enhancement, specifically aid for municipalities to upgrade drinking water infrastructure and waste water infrastructure Page 7 of 37 Agenda Item #1. Communications Services Tax and Local Business Tax Protection SUPPORT legislation that protects general revenues collected from the communications services tax and the local business tax Right of Way Protection OPPOSE legislation which strips a local municipalities' ability to regulate the placement of wireless communications equipment on city property within city rights -of -ways Transportation Funding The Village of Tequesta SUPPORTS legislation that will provide local governments with new and innovative revenue options and resources to finance critical infrastructure, maintenance and construction needs to meet the ever -changing transportation demands driven by dramatic population growth and new technology (autonomous vehicles) throughout Florida. The Village specifically SUPPORTS funding for infrastructure improvements to bridges. The Village realizes the impacts of infrastructure improvements and wishes to see planning and funding for intersections tied to major projects to minimize the impacts those projects have on community and local economy. CYBERSECURITY We SUPPOFlegislation dedicating state resources for the development and enhancement of municipal cybersecurity by providing funding for technical assistance, threat assessments, employee training, infrastructure improvements and data protection. Page 8 of 37 Agenda Item #1. Other Items to Consider/Monitor Support HB 229: RESIDENTIAL SWIMMING POOL SAFETY Issue: This bill, known as the "Kacen's Cause Act" originated from a mother, whose son drowned, who is fighting to change state law to require pool owners to have a fence and door alarms or a pool alarm. Action Requested/Needed: Amendment to F.S. 468.8323 & 515.27 - Residential Swimming Pool Safety: Requires home inspector to include certain information relating to swimming pools in his or her report; requires that new residential swimming pools meet additional requirement in order to pass final inspection & receive certificate of completion; requires that certain pool safety features meet specified standards; prohibits property owner from transferring ownership of parcel that includes swimming pool unless certain requirements are met; provides civil penalties rather than criminal penalties. Effective Date: 10/1/2020 Current Status: 9/26/19 — Filed. Oppose SB 250— DEVELOPMENT ORDERS Issue: Should a prevailing party be able to recover reasonable attorney fees and costs when challenging/defending a certain development order? Action Requested/Needed: Amendment to F.S. 163.3215 to delete an entitlement for a prevailing party to recover reasonable attorney fees and costs incurred in challenging or defending a certain development order. Effective Date: 7/1/2020. Current Status: 9/10/19 - Filed. 9/19/19 — Referred to Community Affairs; Judiciary; Rules. Oppose - SB 252 — PUBLIC RECORDS/REDISTRICTING PLANS Issue: Should certain public records be exempt from inspection and copying (i.e., drafts and related documents pertaining to reapportionment and redistricting plans)? Action Requested/Needed: Amendment to F.S. 11.0431 to delete a public records exemption for drafts and draft requests for reapportionment plans, redistricting plans, or an amendment thereto, and any supporting documents. Page 9 of 37 Agenda Item #1. Current Status: 9/10/19 - Filed. 9/19/19 — Referred to Ethics and Elections; Governmental Oversight and Accountability; Rules. • Elections Issue: In 2018, the Legislature attempted to pass a bill requiring the governing body of a municipality to select a date, from among four options, on when they would hold their municipal election. Municipal elections are a local issue and should remain such. Thankfully this proposed legislation failed, however, there is a possibility of it returning in the future as it moved through the House Public Integrity and Ethics Committee quickly. Action Requested/Needed: Monitor and oppose if it comes back as a new bill Current Status: Failed • Municipal Employee Travel Issue: Also in 2018, the Legislature tried, unsuccessfully, to limit the types of travel municipal employees and elected officials could take, and would have required reporting of travel expenses to the local Ethics Commission. Further infringing upon municipal home rule. Action Requested/Needed: While I don't know if this will return or not, we should not forget that it is out there. Current Status: Failed • Legal Advertising Issue: Legislation was proposed last year deleting provisions relating to publication of legal notices in newspapers; defining the term "publicly accessible website"; authorizing government agencies to publish legal notices on their websites; requiring government agencies to provide specified notice to residents concerning alternative methods of receiving legal notices, etc. Action Requested/Needed: Monitor in hopes it will be brought back to the floor. It would be nice to have this brought back for further consideration and action as a cost cutting measure for municipalities. Page 10 of 37 Agenda Item #1. Current Status: It was indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration and died in judiciary. It would be nice to have this brought back for further consideration and action as a cost cutting measure for municipalities. • Public Records Issue: This year (2019) the Legislature considered a bill that would have prohibited a city receiving a public record request from seeking clarification from the court as to whether the record is exempt or confidential. The bill was passed by the full House but died awaiting action by the Senate. The Senate companion Bill was amended to clarify that if a city files an action for declaratory judgment for a declaration that certain MAJOR BILLS THAT FAILED 23 public records are exempt, or confidential and exempt, and the court determines that the records are either not exempt, or not confidential or exempt, the court must assess reasonable costs of enforcement, including attorney fees, against the city for the benefit of the named respondent. The bill died in committee. Action Requested/Needed: Should this come back on the floor for consideration (as it might since it was passed by the Full House), we need to oppose as there are instances that a city needs to seek clarification from the court system and should not be penalized for doing so. Current Status: Last year it passed by the full House but died awaiting action by the Senate. It is already a filed bill for this year: SIB 162: Public Records and has been referred to Governmental Oversight and Accountability; Judiciary; Rules • Public Meetings Issue: Legislation was proposed this year (2019) and died in committee, and while not necessarily poor legislation, if amended it could be better. Legislation would have added new requirements relating to how municipal meetings are conducted and how meeting materials are to be posted or made available. The bills also required the commission to respond, either publicly at the meeting or through written correspondence, to any and all questions made by a member of the public; any written response would have been required to be provided within 10 days after the meeting and be incorporated into the minutes of the meeting. Action Requested/Needed: The part I question and/or do not support is the requirement to respond, either publicly at the meeting or through written correspondence, to any and all questions made by a member of the public; any written response would have been required to be provided within 10 days after the meeting and be incorporated into the minutes of the meeting. Current Status: Died in committee Page 11 of 37 Agenda Item #1. EAC RESOLUTION NO. 01-2019 A RESOLUTION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA, OPPOSING EXISTING STATUTORY PROHIBITIONS NEGATING THE ABILITY OF FLORIDA LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO REGULATE OR PROHIBIT POLYSTYRENE CONTAINERS, SINGLE USE CARRYOUT PLASTIC BAGS AND OTHER SINGLE USE PLASTIC MATERIALS; URGING THE TEQUESTA VILLAGE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT LOCAL EFFORTS TO OVERTURN EXISTING STATUTORY PROHIBITIONS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO REGULATE OR PROHIBIT REFERENCED PLASTIC PRODUCTS BY LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR AND MEMBERS OF THE PALM BEACH COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION; REQUESTING COPIES OF THE LETTER BE PROVIDED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, OTHER ENTITIES AND INTERESTED PARTIES. WHEREAS, by adoption of Village of Tequesta Resolution No. 21-19 the Village Council of Tequesta created the Tequesta Environmental Advisory Committee to preserve and protect all of the Village's environmental resources and amenities and to make recommendations for best practices, foster community partnerships and make recommendations on goals, objectives and policies of the Comprehensive Plan relative to sustaining and improving the environment of the Village of Tequesta; and WHEREAS, on August 14, 2019, the Third District Court of Appeal rendered an opinion that Florida Statutes clearly and unambiguously preempts the regulation of "polystyrene products" and that Sections 403.708(9), 403.7033, and 500.90 relating to same are constitutional, thereby preempting local government prohibiting polystyrene containers; and WHEREAS, expanded polystyrene is a petroleum -based plastic most commonly incorrectly referred to by the name of "Styrofoam" which is actually the proprietary trade name of a polystyrene foam product; and WHEREAS, expanded polystyrene containers and single -use carry out plastic bags are detrimental to the environment because they do not fully degrade, they overburden landfills, introduce unsafe chemicals into the environment, become litter and create hazards for land and aquatic animals due to ingestion, and create impediments to waste reduction and recycling goals, while creating unsightly litter; and WHEREAS, use and distribution of expanded polystyrene containers and single -use carry out plastic bags by retailers to consumers for use in carrying purchased goods has a detrimental effect on the public health, safety and welfare of the Village, County and State; and WHEREAS, expanded polystyrene and plastic bags constitute a portion of the litter in the Village's streets, parks, public places and waterways; and WHEREAS, the Village is working to become an environmental leader among local governments in the State of Florida, with a goal of the Village EAC being to replace expanded polystyrene, single -use carry out plastic bags and other single use plastic materials with reusable, recyclable, or compostable alternatives whenever possible; and 1 Page 12 of 37 Agenda Item #1. WHEREAS, any local prohibition or regulation should provide for an implementation period allowing for an extensive education campaign and for retail establishments to expend their current stock of single -use carry out plastic bags and transition to reusable, recyclable, or compostable alternatives; and WHEREAS, the Environmental Advisory Committee finds that the prohibitions or regulations referenced hereinabove are necessary for the preservation of our environment and the public health, safety and welfare of Village residents, visitors and future generations; and WHEREAS, in order to effectuate the environmental initiatives referenced herein it is necessary for the Village of Tequesta Village Council to send a clear message to the Governor and Legislature of the State of Florida that the laws impeding local home rule relative to prohibition or regulation of polystyrene containers and single -use carry out plastic bags must be repealed and the Village Council and the Environmental Advisory Committee work together and in concert with our local partners and local governmental agencies to effect this necessary change. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The foregoing recitals are hereby ratified and confirmed. Section 2. The Village Council of the Village of Tequesta is urged to write to the Governor and the elected members of the Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation requesting them to take all steps necessary to repeal any Florida statute or administrative rule which thwarts local home rule of the Village of Tequesta to regulate or prohibit the use of polystyrene containers, single use carryout plastic bags and other single use plastic materials. Section 3. The Village Council is requested to consider providing a copy of the letter referenced in Section 2 to the Mayor of the Town of Palm Beach, Mayor of the Town of Jupiter Inlet Colony, Mayor of the Town of Jupiter, Mayor of the Town of Juno Beach, Mayor of the City of Palm Beach Gardens , the Board of County Commissioners for Palm Beach County, the Northern Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce, the Florida League of Cities and any interested party. PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA, FLORIDA, THIS 25th DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2019. r Thomas G. Bradford, Chair Page 13 of 37 Agenda Item #1. '04 of. FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA OGUE oF�,�� o � = W MJ6& k g�o37 Agenda Item #1. TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 .........................Introduction 4.........................Florida's Cities: Home Rule = Local Control 6 .........................Private Property Rights "Bert Harris Act" Staff Contact: David Cruz 8.........................Sales Tax Fairness Staff Contact: Amber Hughes 9.........................Short-Term Rentals Staff Contact: Casey Cook 14........................Transportation Funding Staff Contact: Jeff Branch 16........................Water Resources Staff Contact: Rebecca O'Hara 19........................Other Issues of Importance 20.......................FLC Legislative Affairs Team 21........................Key Dates 22.......................Legislative Policy Committees 23.......................FLC Officers The Florida League of Cities, Inc. was founded on the belief that local self-government is the keystone of American democracy. Page 15 of 37 2 12020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA INTRODUCTION Each year, municipal officials from across the state volunteer to serve on one of the Florida League of Cities' five legislative policy com- mittees. These committees develop the League's Legislative Action Agenda, which addresses priority issues most likely to have a state- wide impact on daily municipal operations and governance. This year, there are five priorities - one developed by each of the policy committees. The priorities were considered and adopted by the full League membership on August 17, 2019. This document details the five priorities adopted by the FLC membership as described above. The priorities are: ► Private Property Rights "Bert Harris Act" ► Sales Tax Fairness ► Short -Term Rentals ► Transportation Funding ► Water Resources FLORIDA POPULATI 49.34% TOTAL MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT REVENUES Local Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2017 TOTAL MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES Local Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2017 General Government 25% Agenda Item #1. Florida's Cities "JME RULE _ LOCAL CONTROL WHAT IS A CITY IN FLORIDA? Under Florida's Constitution, municipalities are corporations - vested with broad governmental and proprietary powers. Each city is a corporation with a board of directors (council or commission) elected by the people (stockholders) to provide services and self-determination. Each city in Florida has a charter detailing its elections, administrative structure and scope of services. Details are found in policies, ordinances and administrative codes. Page 17 of 37 4 12020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA qA&&dAjLtL9m #1. Since 1968, Floridians have recognized the need for cities to have Home Rule powers, as included in the Constitution [Article VIII, Section 2(b)] and ratified by the Legislature in 1973. This right gives each city the flexibility to craft its laws specifically to its own unique needs. After all, with 412 cities ranging in size from Marineland (pop. 8) to Jacksonville (pop. 907,093), one size does not fit all. This right means any city can adopt its laws so long as the law doesn't conflict with state or federal law. Cities in Florida are not "of" the state, but "in" the state; it's an important distinction between municipal authority and other local governments. WHY ARE CITIES CREATED? Services and self-determination. Cities provide their residents with essential services, such as water, wastewater, stormwater utilities, police, fire pre- vention and EMS, road building and maintenance, parks and recreation, land -use codes, planning and code enforcement, animal control, solid waste and recycling, neighborhood services, libraries and cem- eteries. Self-determination is the ability to make local decisions locally. Cities are citizen -driven rep- resentative democracies with citizen engagement, citizen input and citizen leadership. MUNICIPAL SERVICES Just as no two cities are alike, each city's menu of services is also different. The most important aspect of municipal services is that the services are creat- ed to meet the demands of the residents. Each city offers those services desired by its own citizenry. CATALYSTS FOR ACTION A city is a key player in economic development, business retention and regional commerce. City leaders work with county, state and federal resources to help provide new business incubators, workforce placement, affordable housing, educational and technical needs, and public transportation. City leaders also help with redevelopment when an area is faced with blight or struggles to overcome other challenges. REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES Florida's cities receive an average of half of their revenues from user fees and charges for service. The largest sources of tax revenue come from the property tax; state shared revenue, which includes a portion of the state sales tax and gas tax; and the public service tax, also called utilities tax. Cities also rely upon intergovernmental revenue, grants, license fees and permit fees. FOCUSED ON EXCELLENCE Cities are the only optional level of local government in Florida. Cities must provide their services as cost effectively as possible. Councils and commissions know their success often rests upon the bottom line and achieving their key goals with a balance of effi- ciency, effectiveness and innovation to create a city that residents are proud to call their hometown. 1 Page 18 of 37 2020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA 15 Agenda Item #1. STATEMENT: The Florida League of Cities OPPOSES changes to the Bert J. Harris Jr. Private Property Rights Protection Act that do not consider everyone's property rights or that create one-sided lawsuits that shift inordinate financial burdens onto local taxpayers and limit the ability of cities to quickly resolve claims. BACKGROUND: Florida is one of the strongest states in the country when it comes to protecting private property owners from government regulations or takings. From requir- ing county property appraiser offices to provide a Prop- erty Owner Bill of Rights on their websites to having strong laws against eminent domain, Florida has mul- tiple levels of protections for private property owners. Florida is the only state that provides private property owner protections for government regu- lations that do not amount to a taking under the U.S. Constitution. The State of Florida enacted the Bert J. Harris Jr. Private Property Rights Pro- tection Act (Harris Act) in 1995, which provides a Page 19 of 37 6 12020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA J49ifTC�*QQ #11andowners to seek relief when their property is unfairly affected by government action. Specifically, the Harris Act provides a civil cause of action for private property owners whose current use or vested right in a specific use of real property is "inordinately burdened" by the actions of a governmental entity. The Harris Act has been subsequently amended in 2008, 2011 and 2015 by the Florida Legislature. The Harris Act authorizes relief, including compen- sation, to the private property owner for the actual loss to the fair market value of the real property. The burden of proof is on the property owner to show that a governmental entity has inordinately burdened his or her real property. Any Harris claim must be brought within one year of governmental action. The Harris Act defines an inordinate burden as one in which an action of one or more govern- mental entities has restricted or limited the use of property such that the owner is unable to attain reasonable, investment -backed expectations for the existing use or a vested right in the existing use of the property as a whole, or if the owner is left with uses that are unreasonable such that the owner would permanently bear a disproportionate share of a burden imposed for the public good, which should be borne by the public at large. During the 2019 session, legislation was introduced to amend the Harris Act that would have had a serious impact on local government operations and could have exposed cities and counties to substantial liability. When faced with a Harris Act claim, cities and counties often choose to settle the claim by offering the aggrieved property owner a variance to the rule or regulation that is inordinately burdening the property. Settling claims in this method saves taxpayers the expense of paying monetary damages and is encouraged in the Harris Act. Legislation that failed to pass last session would have required government entities that settle Harris Act claims on residential properties by the use of variance to automatically apply the variance granted to one residential property to all "similarly situated properties." The bills did not define what a "similarly situated property" was, leaving room for potentially broad problematic applications of the variance without taking into consideration size or density of the residential property, any historical designations or other zoning overlays differing residential properties may have. The legislation also failed to consider that there are legal due process procedures in place to protect the property rights of property owners who may be harmed by the issuance of a variance. The legislative attempts have also sought to remove the current attorney fee provisions from the Harris Act, amending it to prevent a government entity from collecting attorney fees even if they prevail. During the 2020 session, the League will protect against additional legislative attempts to craft a one-sided Harris Act that does not consider every- one's property rights and will open a floodgate of lawsuits against municipalities when these issues can and should be resolved through the current Bert Harris Act provisions. 1 Page 20 of 37 2020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA 17 Agenda Item #1. 441IL",- -MM�K *"" we 4L .�� Page 21 of 37 8 12020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA The Florida League of Cities SUPPORTS legisla- tion to reform Florida's sales and use tax laws that apply to online/e-commerce sales from out-of-state retailers. Changes are needed to ensure in -state retailers are treated equitably. BACKGROUND: Forty-five states and the District of Columbia levy taxes on the sale of goods and certain services, in- cluding those sold remotely. Florida's sales and use tax is a 6 percent levy on retail sales of most tangi- ble personal property, admissions, transient lodg- ings, commercial rentals and motor vehicles. Addi- tionally, Florida has nine types of local discretionary sales surtaxes (also referred to as local option sales taxes) that are currently authorized in law and represent potential revenue sources for counties, municipalities and school districts. The local dis- cretionary sales surtaxes apply to all transactions subject to the state tax imposed on sales and use tax. The local discretionary sales surtax rate varies from county to county, depending on the particular levies authorized in that jurisdiction. On June 21, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an opinion in South Dakota v. Wayfair, overturning its earlier precedents in National Bellas Hess and Quill, and eradicated the decades -old "physical presence" requirement for sales and use tax nexus. The case centered on a South Dakota law that imposes sales tax collection obligations on certain remote sell- ers, based on the dollar amount or volume of sales into the state. This "economic nexus" case impacts thousands of state and local jurisdictions across the United States that impose a sales or use tax. The issue of fairness is an important one. Local businesses, which sponsor youth sports teams or help sponsor local fireworks displays or other ac- tivities for their communities, are forced to collect and submit sales taxes on items they sell in their communities. The cost of these goods then can be higher because the out-of-state or international seller is not collecting or remitting sales taxes. This gives these "foreign" businesses an unfair advan- tage. Local businesses ultimately become nothing more than local showrooms for goods ultimately bought online. 1 Florida is one of only two states that levy sales tax that has not enacted an economic nexus or similar remote sales tax policy. Source: Sales Tax Institute Page 22 of 37 2020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA 19 4 nda STATEMENT: The Florida League of Cities SUPPORTS legislation providing for a collaboration between the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regu- lation and cities to ensure that short-term rental properties abide by state and local regulations and be properly licensed and insured, are complying with state and local taxation requirements, and comply with industry -accepted safety practices. The Florida League of Cities SUPPORTS legislation clarifying that existing, grandfathered municipal short-term rental ordinances can be amended if the changes being made are equal to or less restrictive than the current regulation in place. 1 BACKGROUND: In 2011, the Florida Legislature prohibited cities from regulating short-term vacation rentals. A short-term vacation rental is defined as a property that is rented more than three times a year for less than 30 days at a time. The legislation passed in 2011 included a provision that "grandfathered" any ordinance regulating short-term rentals prior to June 1, 2011. Since that time, a number of cit- ies, both "grandfathered" cities and those that did not have an ordinance in place, have experienced problems with these properties. The effect of the 2011 law is that two separate classes of cities were created respective to short-term rentals: those with Home Rule authority and those without. Page 23 of 37 10 12020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA Agenda 'N ► 'OF SHORT-TERM RESIDENTIAL RENTALS TO PERMANENT HOUSEHOLDS 25% 4- 0 20% 0 o � O 15% 4-1 a) 0 L t 10% E a L iJ a, o 41 0 5% L Ln 0% Massive negative impact on neighborhood character, quality of life and housing affordability Few short-term rental related issues ■-------------------------------------- I --------------------------------------------- 1 The #1 FL County in terms of STRs has 14.5x as many STRs per household as the statewide average! ---State Avg. = 1.7% _---------- �------------_--------- �O J-OIO VOi U1CYN0 Q1 fONf0 vl f6Nl6 `'NN�--Oi UIh�-ONL >Cf0 (O ✓ICL OOCE NC NNmN N10 vICC0-O>CC>cC vIC Nam? cc o—o vE tcla caE >w to cap s �c ra'= N,�c-ovluO�c�,Ov coo ioU� Zm@`mja N�m— OL�OF �U��a.m=mtJ oa c�r?o�`—���t'�Em�'��°2 �''0° me O7=m O ii� YO en U w � �w m mco_ E aim a v va-m lD � vW W° 6 2— m C7� u N= a 2 2� vi v m Source: Host Compliance; Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. In 2014, the Legislature passed SB 356 (Thrasher), which diminished the preemption on short-term rentals. The 2014 law allows local governments to adopt ordinances specific to these rentals so that they can address some of the noise, parking, trash and life -safety issues created by their proliferation in residential neighborhoods. Unfortunately, SB 356 left in place existing statutory language stating that cities cannot "prohibit" short-term rentals or regulate the duration or frequency of the rental. attorneys believe these ordinances are "frozen" and any future amendments would cause a loss of the "grandfather." The problem with this is twofold. First, with the rise of popular rental websites like Vrbo and Airbnb making it easier to advertise and rent these properties, the number of properties used as short- term rentals in Florida has exponentially increased in the last four years. Second, as a result of this enormous growth in the rental market, the scope of the problem has changed and ordinances adopted before 2011 may no longer be effective. Those cities fortunate enough to have had an It is important to note that many of Florida's larger ordinance in place prior to the 2011 preemption are cities (with a larger professional staff) fell into the still allowed to regulate short-term rentals, but grandfathered category. They have retained the the question remains whether these ordinances ability to regulate these properties through zoning will continue to be valid if amended. Some city and may have duration and frequency requirements. Page 24 of 37 2020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA 111 Agenda Item #1. Some of these cities may want to amend their ordi- nances to adjust to a changing problem. They are reluctant to do so out of fear of losing their existing ordinance and with it their Home Rule authority relating to short-term rentals. Recognizing that the ordinances on the books are no longer effective, cit- ies want the ability to come up with solutions that work for their respective community, but because of the potential loss of the "grandfather," they are unable to do so. It is important to note that any potential amendments to existing ordinances would be vetted through numerous public hearings that allow neighboring homeowners, short-term rental owners, property managers and local businesses to weigh in on proposed legislation. Cities without short-term rental regulations in place prior to June 1, 2011, have had their zoning authority stripped and are now seeing these rentals completely overtaking residential neighborhoods. Long-time residents are moving out as a result, and the residential character of traditional neighbor- hoods is slowly being destroyed. The impacts of problematic short-term rentals on neighboring residents are felt in a number of ways The Hotel Next Door - Commercial Activity in Residential Neighborhoods Houses that sleep 26 people are now present in what were once traditional neighborhoods. Because of the inability to regulate the duration of a renter's stay, these houses could experience weekly, daily or even hourly turnover. Obviously, the constant turnover of renters creates a number of issues for cities and neighboring property owners. Prior to the preemp- tion, local governments were able to regulate this activity through zoning. Short-term rentals have become increasingly popular in the last five years. Because a city cannot "prohibit" these properties, they are powerless to exclude them from residential neighborhoods. As a result, investors, many of whom are located out of state or even in a different country, have purchased or built single-family homes with the sole intent of turning them into short-term rentals. Cities use zoning as a tool to prepare for their future growth and also use it to control where commercial and residential properties are located. Hotels have different infrastructure needs than single-family res- idential properties. As residential neighborhoods are developed, the infrastructure installed is designed for the future use of the properties. Many neighborhoods have infrastructure in place with capacity for up to eight people per house. Now there are houses in these very same neighborhoods that sleep more people than the number originally planned for, placing a sig- nificant strain on existing infrastructure. Commercial properties like bars, hotels and restaurants typically need more parking than a single-family property, as well as have different operating hours and experience greater noise levels. The current law removes import- ant land use and zoning tools that will impact how a city plans for future growth and levels of service. Noise Complaints In areas where short-term rentals are situated, many neighboring residents complain of the noise generated by the vacationing renters next door. When people go on vacation, often their behavior changes. They may stay awake later, consume more alcoholic beverages throughout the day or partici- pate in recreational activities that they would not participate in while at their own homes, such as swimming at midnight with music blaring. For those homes located near water, a lake or the ocean, it Page 25 of 37 12 12020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA Agenda Item #1. is important to note that sound travels easily over water - and residents located hundreds of yards away may be the ones calling and complaining to the police and their local elected officials. Some cities have noise ordinances, but these have proved problematic to enforce. One such example is Lighthouse Point. Its ordinance requires sustained noise over a certain decibel threshold for 10 minutes. Many times after the police arrive at a residence, the noise dies down. These renters may leave the next day with new ones replacing them. The new renters are often unaware of the noise ordinance or past complaints and may cause the some problems. The out-of-state property owner may not even be aware of the problems created by their renters and with the constant turnover. The problem ends as one renter leaves and begins again as new renters arrive. This causes a significant drain on law enforcement resources. When a law enforcement officer is called to respond to noise complaints, one less officer is on the street either preventing or solving crimes. Impacts on Emergency Response Times Many short-term rentals are located in single-fam- ily neighborhoods. In most cases, the driveway was built to accommodate two or three vehicles. When you now have a renovated house that acts as a small hotel, there will be more than three cars needed to get these renters to the property. This leads to cars that are parked on the street, making it difficult for emer- gency vehicles to respond to emergencies and causes increased response times in these neighborhoods. Cit- ies have begun to adopt ordinances creating parking standards for short-term rental properties. Unfortu- nately, these ordinances only solve the parking issue but fail to address any of the other issues created by this commercial activity in residential areas. Revenuelssues As stated earlier, a property rented more than three times a year for less than 30 days at a time meets the vacation rental definition and should be licensed by the state. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) is tasked with investigating unlicensed vacation rentals but lacks the resources needed to fully investigate every complaint. Unlicensed vacation rentals could be costing Florida millions of dollars each year from lost licensing revenue. Licensed short-term vacation rentals and hotels are also required to charge a sales tax to renters and then remit this back to the state. Many licensed and unlicensed vacation rentals are not doing this. The Florida Department of Revenue (DOR) has limited resources and cannot adequately monitor these transactions, costing the state millions of dollars in lost revenue. Similarly, short-term rental owners in some counties are required to collect and remit the tourist development tax to the state. DOR is often unable to track down the vacation rental owners who are not paying the tourist development tax. The Legislature began the conversation on short- term rentals in 2014, and the Florida League of Cities supported both HB 307 (Hutson) and SB 356 (Thrasher). The bills were a step in the right direc- tion, but they only partially restored Home Rule to Florida's cities. Cities are still prevented from reg- ulating the duration and frequency of the rentals, and local zoning does not apply to these properties. Without the ability to regulate these key areas, local governments will not be able to adequately address the problems associated with these properties. 1 Page 26 of 37 2020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA 113 Agenda Item #1. STATEMENT: The Florida League of Cities SUPPORTS legislation that will provide local governments with new and innovative revenue options and resources to finance critical infrastructure, maintenance and construction needs to meet the ever -changing transportation demands driven by dramatic population growth and new technology (autonomous vehicles) throughout Florida. BACKGROUND: Transportation infrastructure is paramount to the prosperity of all cities. It greatly affects quality of life by influencing peoples' decisions about where to live, work and spend their free time. For more than 60 years, the federal government has helped states pay for highway repair and construction through the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which relies primarily on federal gas tax revenue. But in recent years, inflation and the growth in the number of both electric and more fuel -efficient gas -powered vehicles means that drivers are buying less gasoline and paying less gas tax. Declining gas tax revenue is not only affecting solvency of the HTF but also the State Trans- portation Trust Fund (STTF) in Florida. Recently, Florida economists have predicted $120 million Page 27 of 37 14 12020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA Agenda Item #1. decline in funding going into the STTF over the next five years. To compound the problem, the federal gas tax was last increased in 1997, the state gas tax in 1943, the county gas tax in 1941 and the municipal gas tax in 1971. The Fuel Sales Tax and the State Comprehen- sive Enhanced Transportation System Tax, which are the State of Florida's portion of the motor fuel tax rates, are adjusted once a year to account for inflation. A major portion of transportation funding flows to municipalities through county, state and federal taxes on gasoline. While the federal, state and county governments have a variety of tools available to address transportation funding, munic- STATE TAXES AND FEES DEPOSITED IN STATE TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND FISCAL YEAR 2018 (Amount in Millions) Local Option Distribution Documentary Stamp Tax $46, 1% \ ' $297, 8% Rental Car Surcl $138, 3% Source: Transportation Revenue Estimating Conference (12/06/18), Documenting Stamp Tax Revenue Estimating Conference (12/18/18). ipalities have limited revenue options for funding transportation projects. For example, charter coun- ties may currently hold a referendum on whether to impose up to a 1 percent sales tax to fund transpor- tation infrastructure projects. Giving municipalities the same transportation revenue options and/or indexing their local motor fuel tax rates are ways to provide greater flexibility to fund their unique trans- portation needs. With over 126 million visitors each year and more than 900 people moving to Florida each day, the state's transportation infrastructure is rapidly declining. Our roads and bridges are getting older and falling into disrepair, costing more to maintain and improve. Some of these increased costs are directly attributable to technological advancements that are necessary to implement a "smart trans- portation infrastructure" where train stations, bus stops, airports, and car- and bike -sharing stations become integrated parts of one big open high- speed connected communications network. Additionally, Florida's crumbling infrastructure and long traffic drive times affect public safety. Roads filled with potholes or instances where traffic is at a standstill directly impact the ability of police and firefighters to respond to accidents or crime scenes. Transportation projects are often the catalyst for economic development and the result of growth within a community. Florida's municipalities need a transportation program that adequately funds our state's transportation needs, takes a smart approach to all forms of transportation, and provides local governments with the certainty they need for planning and funding transportation projects. 1 Page 28 of 37 2020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA 115 WATER RESOURCES PHOTO©GETTYIMAGES AM#44Pm #1. Water is an essential public asset that benefits Florida's economy, residents, visitors and environ- ment. Presently, Florida spends less than 1/10 of 1 percent of its entire state budget on water supply and water quality improvements. The Florida League of Cities SUPPORTS legislation to address Florida's water quality crisis and water supply deficiencies that: ► provides for an annual assessment of the state's water infrastructure and water quality improvement needs at the state, regional and local levels. ► establishes a framework for a state water infra- structure and water quality funding program that includes objective criteria tied to beneficial returns on investment, sustainable utility prac- $69 billion in coastal property in Florida that is not at risk today could flood at high tide by 2030 1 tices and intergovernmental coordination. ► identifies potential sources of funding or financing. BACKGROUND: ► Water is an essential public asset that benefits Florida's economy, residents, visitors and envi- ronment. ► Florida's ability to meet its future water needs exceeds available supply and infrastructure. ► As much as $48.71 billion may be needed over the next 20 years to meet needs for drinking water and wastewater, flood control, nutrient pollution, Everglades restoration, and beach and inlet erosion. ► The State of Florida should obtain an accu- rate assessment of current and future water infrastructure needs, identify potential funding Source: "Come Heat and High Water: Climate Risk in the Southeastern U.S. and Texas," July 2015, Risky Business Project. In Florida: $16,95 billion is needed over the next 20 years in drinking water infrastructure improvements. Source: EPA Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment - Fifth Report to Congress, September 2015. Page 30 of 37 2020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA 117 Agenda Item ;91 $21.8 bii I 1i n In is needed fr wastewater infrastructure improvements ), 2020 Source: EPA 2015 Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment, Florida. sources, and develop a long-term water supply and water quality funding program based on identified needs, objective criteria, and intergov- ernmental partnerships and coordination. ► Legislation is needed to direct the Department of Environmental Protection to develop a com- prehensive and need -based assessment of the state's water resources, including an assess- ment of the funding needed to meet current and future demands. ► Legislation should also identify potential funding sources for a long-term, dedicated and recurring source of state funding for water supply and water quality improvement projects and measures. ► Legislation should establish the framework for a water supply infrastructure and water quality improvements grant program with local match requirements and transparent funding criteria. 1 There are over ' 700 water body segments throughout Florida impaired for water quality rlsl I I I L---1--r--L---� 1 I 1 I 1 1 Source: Department of Environmental Protection 2018 Comprehensive Verified List. GRAPHICS©GETTY IMAGES Page 31 of 37 18 12020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA Agenda Item #1. OTHER ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE Affordable Housing STATEMENT: The Florida League of Cities SUPPORTS legislation that requires all monies from the Sadowski State and Local Housing Trust Fund be used only for Florida's affordable housing programs. Annexation STATEMENT: The Florida League of Cities SUPPORTS legislation that facilitates the municipal annexation of unin- corporated areas, while protecting private property rights and respecting municipal boundaries. Cybersecurity STATEMENT: The Florida League of Cities SUPPORTS legislation dedicating state resources for the development and enhancement of municipal cybersecurity by providing funding for technical assistance, threat assessments, employee training, infrastructure improvements and data protection, including the protection of exempt and confidential information such as law enforcement personnel information and building plans for govern- ment and recreational buildings and infrastructure. Digital Divide STATEMENT: The Florida League of Cities SUPPORTS legislation that reduces the digital divide and expands broad- band internet access to all underserved areas of the state. This includes: funding a study to identify areas of Florida that are underserved by traditional broadband providers. removing statutory barriers for local governments to provide telecommunication services and open competition for affordable Internet service. increasing public funding for construction of broadband infrastructure. Local Business Tax Protection STATEMENT: The Florida League of Cities SUPPORTS legisla- tion that protects general revenues collected from the local business tax. These revenues are used to provide essential municipal services such as public safety and constructing and maintaining roads and bridges, public parks and open spaces. Maintaining a diversified revenue base strengthens the fiscal stabil- ity of local governments and improves their ability to serve citizens and businesses and protect the public. Medical Marijuana STATEMENT: The Florida League of Cities SUPPORTS legislation restoring municipal authority to regulate medical marijuana facilities within municipal boundaries. Resiliency STATEMENT: The Florida League of Cities SUPPORTS the Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection and will SUPPORT legislation to fund and coordinate state resiliency programs with those of local governments. Smoke -Free Zones in City Parks STATEMENT: The Florida League of Cities SUPPORTS legislation authorizing cities to establish smoke -free zones within the boundaries of a city park. 1 Page 32 of 37 2020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA 119 �618'�TSRIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS TEAM SCOTT DUDLEY DAVID CRUZ ALLISON PAYNE Legislative Affairs Legislative Counsel Manager, Advocacy Director; Florida League _ dcruz@flcities.com Programs & Federal of Mayors Executive Annexation Affairs Director Community apayne@flcities.com sdudley@flcities.com Redevelopment Local/Regional • State and Federal Eminent Domain Leagues Legislative Issues Growth Management Key Contact Program • Governmental Land Use Advocacy Programs/ Relations Property Rights Regional Teams ► Tort Liability/ Federal Affairs/NLC JEFF BRANCH Sovereign Immunity Liaison Legislative Advocate Insurance - Except jbranch@flcities.com N FI P TARA TAGGART • Affordable Housing/ Workers' Legislative Policy Foreclosures Compensation s 4 Analyst • Building Codes/ 3 ttaggart@flcities.com Construction AMBER HUGHES • Charter Counties Senior Legislative • Charter Schools Advocate • Emergency ahughes@flcities.com MARY EDENFIELD Management Finance and Taxation Legislative Coordinator • Homelessness/ National Flood medenfield@flcities.com Mental Health Insurance Program Legislative Policy • Special Districts Personnel and Committees • Transportation/ Collective Bargaining Legislative Action Days Highway Safety/ Retirement/Pension Aviation Issues KATHERINE DUNN ► Veterans Affairs Revenues and Administrative/ Budgeting Legal Assistant CASEY COOK Telecommunications 1 kdunn@flcities.com Senior Legislative Advocate; Florida City REBECCA O'HARA 11 and County Management Deputy General Counsel Association Executive rohara@flcities.com Director Energy ccook@flcities.com w Environmental • Economic Development w Ethics and Elections • Gaming w General Utilities • Medical Marijuana w Rights -of -Way • Ordinance/Code w Solid Waste Enforcement Stormwater • Procurement w Water Quality/ • Public Records/Public Wastewater Meetings w Water Supply/Policy • Public Safety Page 33 of 37 20 12020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA '26'f0IY6V6' K E Y DATES (Danes subject to change) House/Senate Interim Committee Week OCTOBER 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 House/Senate Interim Committee Week Federal Action Strike Team (FAST) Fly -in Washington, D.C. House/Senate Interim Committee Week NOVEMBER 12345678910111213�161718192021222324252627282930 House/Senate Interim Committee Week FLC Legislative Conference DECEMBER 1 234567 8 910 11 1213141516171819 20 21 22232425 2627 28 2930 31 House/Senate Interim Committee Week JANUARY 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 Legislative Session Convenes FEBRUARY 1 2345678 910 11 1213141516171819 20 21 2223 242526272829 FLC Legislative Action Days Tallahassee, FL Last Day of Regular Session MARCH 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 NLC Congressional City Conference Washington, D.C. Page 34 of 37 2020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA 121 'Ll8fiCAVE POLICY COMMITTEES The following city officials served as chairs and vice chairs of the Florida League of Cities legislative policy committees. We thank them and the hundreds of municipal officials who participated in the development of these legislative priorities. FINANCE, TAXATION AND PERSONNEL Chair: Vice Mayor Paul R. Shalhoub, Town of Lake Clarke Shores Vice Chair: Council Member Robert Yaffe, Town of Bay Harbor Islands LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Chair: Councilwoman Jolien Caraballo, City of Port St. Lucie Vice Chair: Mayor William (Bill) Capote, City of Palm Bay MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION Chair: Council Member Dan Saracki, City of Oldsmar Vice Chair: Vice -Mayor Kimberly Glas-Castro, Town of Lake Park TRANSPORTATION AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS Chair: Councilman Elvis R. Maldonado, City of Homestead Vice Chair: Commissioner Gigi Simmons, City of Gainesville UTILITIES, NATURAL RESOURCES AND PUBLIC WORKS Chair: Deputy Mayor Stuart Glass, Town of Indialantic Vice Chair: Councilman Rick Williams, City of Cape Coral The Action Agenda reflects the priorities of 412 municipalities, as prepared by the Florida League of Cities' five legislative policy committees and adopted by the full membership at the League's 93rd Annual Conference, August 17, 2019, in Orlando. Page 35 of 37 22 12020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA q26n1NIY6Ya.OFFICERS PRESIDENT Council Member Isaac Salver Bay Harbor Islands FIRST VICE PRESIDENT Commissioner Tony Ortiz Orlando SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Mayor Randall P. Henderson Jr. Fort Myers The Florida League of Cities is the united voice for Florida's municipal governments. Its goals are to serve the needs of Florida's cities and promote local self-government. Florida's city officials formed as a group of municipal governments for the first time in 1922. They wanted to shape legislation, share the advantages of cooperative action, and exchange ideas and experiences. Growing from a small number of cities and towns, our membership now represents 412 cities, towns and villages in the Sun- shine State. The League is the premier provider of many products and services developed especially for Florida's cities. Our strength and success are dependent upon the support and participation of our members. Page 36 of 37 2020 FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES LEGISLATIVE ACTION AGENDA 123 Agenda Item #1. QP�OGUE pE o z = � n W Qi I'fIE For more information on the League's legislative initiatives, please contact: Florida League of Cities P.O. Box 1757 Tallahassee, FL 32302-1757 Phone: (850) 222-9684 floridaleagueofcities.com ; i i ■ ■ i ■ ■ r COVER PHOTO©GETTYIMAGES Page 37 of 37