Communcations & Publications

Download this newsletter as a PDF
View News & Notes Archive

News & Notes
FAC's 2008 Legislative Conference St. Johns County

Over 180 county commissioners, county staff, and private sector folks attended the FAC Legislative Conference held on November 13-16, 2007 in St. Johns County. The conference marked the culmination of months of hard work by our policy committees, workgroups, and staff. This year's conference was filled with excitement as there was an influential guest keynote speaker, passionate discussion between our members on issues such as growth management, mining, and property taxes - together with cold showers, bomb threats, and a fire alarm.

On behalf of FAC, Commissioner Cyndi Stevenson (St. Johns) presented a "Defender of Home Rule" award to Representative Dick Kravitz (R-19). This award was given to Rep. Kravitz for consistently supporting the local decisions of local governments within his district. Additionally, Rep. Kravitz was one of the primary voices for preserving fiscal home rule and opposing one size fits all solutions to the property tax debate.

- more -

January 29th Amendment and Changes to Property Tax Structure
Commissioner Discussion Points

The role of local government is not to protect government but to ensure the safety and well being of the residents in our community. We were elected to serve you, the people, who put us here in the first place. We have a responsibility to you and are committed to safeguarding your hard earned dollars. We are always looking for ways to be more cost effective, enhancing the delivery of services that improve the quality of your life. Earlier this year, local governments reduced property tax revenues by $2.3 billion dollars as a result of HB1B.

- more -

TBRC Introduces 3 Formal Constitutional Proposals

CP0002 sponsored by former Senate President John McKay is a mandated repeal of exemptions and exclusions from state sales tax and requires use of these sources of revenue to replace the ad valorem taxation set by the Legislature under the FEFP to fund education. This would not apply to exemptions for food, prescription drugs, health services, residential rent, electricity and heating fuel; but does apply to services determined to not serve a public purpose. The amendment would also require that any law creating a sales tax exemption to require approval by 60% of membership of each house and contain the single subject matter of a single exemption and legislative finding that the exemption serves a public purpose.

- more -

Transformational Leadership in State and Local Government (Creating Post-bureaucratic Performance, Accountability, Innovation, & Results)

Government as usual doesn't work any more. Increasing demands for performance, budget stress, a rule-bound workplace, interest group pressure, media scrutiny, and antigovernment sentiment mean we can't succeed by with leadership methods of the last century. The "bureaucratic" system of government, which actually saved American government a century ago, no longer meets citizen, taxpayer, or even government employee needs and expectations. 21st Century government leaders need new skills and knowledge to transcend bureaucracy and reconnect people with their government. This workshop shows you how. It emphasizes "transformational leadership," not leadership that seeks incremental change or even aspires to an excellent status quo.

- more -

Miami-Dade County Saves $25 Million with Revenue-Refunding of Water and Sewer Bonds; County Finance Director Calls It Exceptional Savings for Citizens

Memphis, Tenn. (Nov. 16, 2007) A recent revenue-refunding bond issue for Miami-Dade County's water and sewer system saved Dade County citizens $25 million in finance expenses. Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc., the senior book-running manager for the $353 million transaction, delivered a 7.18 percent present value savings as compared to the debt service of the refunded bonds originally issued in 1997.

- more -