Advocacy
Advocating to Preserve Home Rule
The Florida Association of Counties (FAC) is called upon to represent counties year-round on a range of issues from finance and tax to health care to transportation before the Florida Legislature, the Governor and Cabinet, various state agencies and the courts. The guiding principles that underlie FAC's efforts are to preserve county home rule authority, to provide a voice for the development and implementation of statewide policies, and to protect local citizenry from the financial burden of unfunded mandates.
Determining the consensus position of Florida counties is paramount to FAC's annual policy development process. This process is designed to prioritize a multitude of issues critical to all counties through four standing legislative policy committees. Three to four county commissioners appointed by the FAC President guide each committee's work. Service on a policy committee is voluntary and open to all county commissioners and county professional staff.
Committees operate on a consensus basis, working towards legislative positions that represent broad support among counties. County staff may serve as technical support, but only commissioners may vote.
Our legislative advocacy team is lead by John Wayne Smith, who has many years of legislative and local government experience and has spent his career working on behalf of local governments. Eric Poole is the Assistant Legislative Director who also focuses on Growth Management and Transportation issues. Stephen James is the Legislative Staff Attorney who primarily lobbies environmental and energy issues. Heather Wildermuth is our leading health and human services advocate and Sarrah Carroll is our public safety and administration advocate. Davin Suggs works closely with counties on the many finance and tax issues that are addressed during the legislative session.
Our legal advocacy is led by Ginger Delegal, FAC's General Counsel, who has over 15 years of experience in Florida local government law. The legal advocacy strategy is developed through close collaboration with the FAC officers and directors and through joint efforts with offices of County Attorneys throughout the state.