Welcome to the Florida Association of Counties

Budget hearings are underway and people across the state of Florida have many questions regarding the tax cuts expected from the law passed during the special session and what the effect of the January 29th Amendment will have on their community. We have posted on our website important points for you and your citizens to keep in mind when deciding their January 29th vote and soon answers to the most frequently asked questions will be posted.

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Mark your Calendar for the All about Florida Tour!

Next Tour Stops: Walton, Hernando and Lee Counties

Chris Holley and FAC President Commissioner Teresa Jacobs will be traveling the state to meet with our members to discuss critical issues such as property tax reform, next session, the TBRC and FAC benefits. The tour will be coming to a county near you so please make your plans to attend. A complete schedule of dates can be found in the column on the left or by clicking here [PDF].

Update: Statewide Budget Cuts

Session postponed / Governor proposes cuts

Legislative leaders have indefinitely postponed a special session planned for Sept. 18 because they and Gov. Charlie Crist have not yet agreed on a basic framework for cutting Florida's budget.

On Thursday, September 6th, Governor Charlie Crist outlined his proposed recommended budget cuts. Click here [PDF] for a link to the Governor's letter to President Pruitt and Speaker Rubio. Click here [PDF] for a link to the Governor's proposed cuts.

The power of the constitution is in the hands of the TBRC.

REMINDER:
Taxation & Budget Reform Commission is meeting through out the state. Please make your planst o attend today! Click here for a complete list of dates and locations.

Counties and their residents must challenge the encroachment upon local decision- making by encouraging the TBRC to recommend constitutional amendments that protect local voices - instead of amendments that would silence local voices.

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Hersh v. Browning: Property Tax Relief Litigation

The Secretary of State and Department of Revenue have filed a memorandum opposing Mayor Hersh's motion for summary judgment and filed their own motion for summary judgment. The court has set a hearing on the motions for next Tuesday, September 11, 2007, at 2:00 p.m., in the Leon County Courthouse.

SCTAS Funding in Jeopardy

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS), where SCTAS funding is allocated, has proposed cutting the $350,000 allocated for its funding. These cuts are in response to the state's $1.5 billion revenue short fall and upon direction from the Governor of all state agencies to propose 10% across the board cuts.

Many small counties rely on this funding not only for technical assistance but for educational scholarships that pay for registration fees to the County Commissioners Certification (CCC) and Advanced County Commissioner education (ACC) programs. FAC will fight to keep SCTAS funding and our legislative team and the Small County Coalition have included SCTAS on their list of priorities.

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Department of Revenue releases county by county millage rates

DOR has released a list of counties preliminarily indicating that they may exceed the millage cap as reflected in the millage set for TRIM notices, according to DOR.

Three counties have indicated that they may exceed the maximum millage by a two-thirds vote by going to the rolled back rate (which means not subtracting the bracket percentage assigned by HB 1B): Gulf Monroe they may exceed the maximum millage by a two-thirds vote by going to the rolled back rate (which means not subtracting the bracket percentage assigned by HB 1B): Gulf, Monroe and Seminole.

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Commission on Open Government

In June, the Governor created the Commission on Open Government, requiring it to consider the following:

The relevance and redundancy of all exemptions to government meetings and records.
Fees and charges imposed for inspecting and copying public records
The relevance and redundancy of all exemptions to government meetings and records.
Fees and charges imposed for inspecting and copying public records in light of advances in information technology.

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Apply for Prestigious Innovations Award

Government Award. Administered by the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, the Innovations Award is heralded as the premier public-sector award in the nation. It is given annually to programs that serve as examples of creative and effective government at its best. All units of government--federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial--are eligible to apply. Each of the winners of the 2008 Innovations Award will receive a $100,000 grant to support replication and dissemination activities. Applications and additional information are available on the web.

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE OCTOBER 15, 2007

NACo Blog focuses on White House Candidates

Interested in finding a county spin to the united States presidential campaigns? Just go online, and look no further than the Website nacoblog. blogspot.com. It's a regularly updated compilation of articles and thoughts - known as a 'blog' - focused entirely on the 2008 race for the White House, started by the national Association of Counties as part of its 2008 Presidential Election Project. "We understand with the length of the presidential campaign and the demands of everyday life, it is hard to keep up-to-date on everything," said NACo President Colleen Landkamer. "That's why we established the blog - it's a place where county officials can comment and tell their stories as well as catch up on what the candidates are saying about county issues."

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NACo Launches County Climate Protection Program

With escalating attention given to climate change, one thing is apparent - counties are assuming a role as "agents of change" in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In March 2007, the NACo Board of Directors adopted a resolution calling on NACo to urge Congress to address global warming, regardless of its source. The resolution also called on NACo to provide a leadership role in the education, discussion, evaluation and decisionmaking processes regarding issues of global climate change affecting counties. It can be challenging for a county to navigate the world of climate change while remaining mindful of local and regional conditions. NACo is working to make that process easier.

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