News & Notes

FAC meets with OTTED to discuss US Sugar deal

This week Chris Holley, FAC Executive Director and FAC staff meet with Mary Helen Blakeslee with the Governor’s Office of Tourism Trade and Development (OTTED) regarding the US Sugar deal with the state. This is an environmental project of national significance that could, if not properly prepared for, have significant economic impacts on our South Florida counties.

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Restoring the Partnership at the Grassroots Level:
FAC Visits with Sheriffs and Firefighters

As part of the “Restore the Partnership” initiative FAC is focusing on strengthening relationships not only at the state level, but with our local colleagues as well. During the property tax debate over the past year, there are few groups that FAC worked more closely with than the Florida Sheriff’s Association (FSA) and the Professional Firefighters.

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FAC and 25 Counties File Suit on Conflict Counsel Costs

On Monday, July 28, 2008, the Florida Association of Counties and 25 individual counties filed suit against the state, asking the courts to declare the provisions of SB 1088 (2007) that sought to require the counties to pay for certain costs of the regional conflict counsel, to be not binding on the counties. The counties and FAC argue that the law violates Article V, section 18 of the Florida Constitution in that the state, and not the counties, is to be wholly responsible for funding the costs of conflict counsel.

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