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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem #09 - Discussion ItemTO FROM Donald Warshaw City Mang Commissioner CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM January 28, 2000 DATE FILE SUBJECT : LegisI ti v Budget Request 1 O At the last Commission Meeting, I brought up four of the several legislative budget requests for discussion. At this time I am forwarding a copy of all the legislative budget request to discuss at the next commission meeting in February 10, 2000. Thank you for your attention in this matter. Cc: Mayor Joe Carollo Commissioner Willy Gort Commissioner Johnny Winton Commissioner Tomas Regalado Commissioner Arthur Teele, Jr. Alex Vilarello, City Attorney Elvi Alonso, Agenda Coordinator State Legislative Priorities Session 2000 For Additional Information, please contact: Marva L. Wiley, Special Assistant to the City Manager 444 SW 2"d Avenue, 10" Floor Miami, FL 33130 Tel: (305) 416-1033 Fax: (305) 400-5046 marvaw@ci.miami.fl.us City of Miami 0 2000 Legislative Priorities Draft as of I/ 10/00 I. 2000 Legislative Issues—Specific to City of Miami A. Use of Sales Tax Proceeds for Orange Bowl Stadium Improvements: The City of Miami seeks legislation that will allow stadiums that house collegiate teams to retain proceeds of sales tax generated by the facility for capital improvements on the stadium. Although State law currently provides for municipalities to retain proceeds of sales tax earmarked for capital improvements on stadiums that house professional teams, similar needs exist for stadiums which house collegiate sports teams. At the Orange Bowl, no such use is currently allowed although college football often receives as much national attention as professional sports teams do. We anticipate a need for $20 million in capital improvements at the Orange Bowl within the next three years. B. Use of a portion proceeds from moving traffic violations for radio equipment: The City seeks an amendment to §318.21 of the Florida Statutes to allow for a separate source of funding for its radio communication program. The aforementioned statute currently limits such use to the county to fund participation in an intergovernmental radio communication program approved by the Division of Communications of the Department of Management Services. Inasmuch as the City has its own radio communications program, such legislation seems warranted. II. Legislative Appropriation Items A. Blue Lagoon Lake Cleanup: Blue Lagoon Lake currently exists under the concurrent jurisdiction of the South Florida Water Management District, Florida Department of Transportation, the Expressway Authority, Miami -Dade County and the City of Miami. The initial clean up, estimated at $100,000, and the subsequent maintenance, estimated at $30,000 per year. Inasmuch as the Lake affects canals adjacent to the State Road 836, which runs adjacent to Miami International Airport, the clean up bears substantially on the perception of domestic and international visitors on the State of Florida, additionally this project bears great environmental merit. B. Little Havana Charette: The East Little Havana neighborhood within the City of Miami has been documented as the poorest among the Community Development Block Grant Target Areas. Utilizing a formula that incorporates population, number of overcrowded housing units (density), and number of persons living below the poverty level, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has noted that East Little Havana's needs are immense. Further, the potential for relief that exist for many urban neighborhoods through the Empowerment Zone is of limited benefit for the East Little Havana. Projected costs for the first phase of the development are $150,000. City ` of Miami 2000 Legislative'Priorities Draft as of 1/10/00 C. Virrick Park Community Center: This project, too, affects one of the City of Miami's CDBG Target Areas. After two years of weekly community meetings, a comprehensive community center that would offer such recreational activities as half court basketball,. in-line skate hockey, volleyball, boxing • and wrestling is the community interest. Also, counseling in the classrooms. will be available. The City . has dedicated in excess of $1 MM of the CDBG funds to ensure that this $2MM comes to ,fiuition. Additionally, the City has secured funding. from the Safe Neighborhood Park Bond issue. .Currently, a $400,000 gap exists between current funding and the project as the community envisions it. D. Little Haiti After School Diversionary Program: Requesting $800K to fund a project conceived of and to be implemented by the Miami Police Department that would include an after-school :and, weekend program to serve at -risk youth in Little Haiti. This project affects an oft -neglected community confronted with substantial cultural and language barriers iwaddition to the fundamental challenges presented by. economic condition. E. Miami Love At Risk Youth Project: The City of Miami Parks & Recreation administers this initiative, which the State Legislature funded for $313,900 in the 1998 Session. One example of the tremendous success that this program has realized is the approximately 700 kids that joined the Nike Jr. Heat's 3 -on -3 League. The success has been the result of several collaborative partnerships, including Weed and Seed, . Belafonte Tacolcy, the Miami Heat and' Nike:. The. results are such that Nike has expressed its intention to replicate the project nationwide. In addition to the immediate value of deterring crime by occupying at risk youth in productivity outlets, there is also an opportunity for the City of Miami, and thus, the State, to continue to develop programming that would be attractive nationwide. The City has dedicated an individual on staff with monies from,its General Fund to administer the program and seek additional funding. F. Little Haiti Park: Currently, Little Haiti, is the only neighborhood .in the City of Miami that has no park. The substantial challenges that residents of that community face (i.e:; cultural, language and economic barriers) make this absence all the. more egregious and the need all the more substantial. Minimum necessary to properly execute this pursuit -is $10 million for land acquisition, site improvements, planning, design and equipment. , G. After School Enrichment Program:. In several locations in the City of Miami, Dade County Public Schools (DCPS) and City parks are adjacent to each other' The City of Miami. 'has taken 'this opportunity to partner with the DCPS to offer a homework . assistance program..for children of '-communities where parents are often unavailable (Comstock Park ). $86,120 (1 staff person at four different sites). City of Miami 2000 Legislative Priorities Draft as of 1/10/00 III. 2000 Collaborative Legislative Appropriation Issues A. Miami River Commission: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has recommended maintenance dredging of the Miami River, a federal channel, for navigation purposes. The Corps will absorb up to 50% of the costs, however, a match must be identified through other sources. The request is $6.3 Million. Although the amount requested may seem a bit large, this request will be submitted by Miami -Dade County. With the collaborative nature of the request, along with the definite positive implications for international trade and the environment, this request may meet with some success. B. Crisis out placement housing and services for homeless mentally ill persons: In cooperation with the Miami -Dade County, the City seeks $675,000 ($200,000 in continuation funding; $475,000). The proposed continuation (and expansion) project will provide post -crisis stabilization unit (CSU) out placement in transitional housing for chronic, mentally ill homeless persons. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development identified 28% of the County's homeless population as suffering from a dual diagnosis that includes mental illness. This reality makes it impossible for these individuals to ever lead a normal life without the special treatment contemplated here. C. Non-medical detox substance abuse treatment beds and transitional beds for homeless persons who are dually diagnosed. In cooperation with Miami -Dade County, the proposed project will provide non-medical detoxification services for homeless individuals who are substance abusers and who suffer from a dual diagnosis, as well as longer term (4-6 month) residential treatment services. III. General Municipal Issues A. Telecommunications: The City supports the continued authority of counties and municipalities to manage and determine compensation for the use of public rights-of- way. Continued discretionary authority of counties and municipalities to impose and utilize cable and telecommunication franchise fees and tax revenues at their discretion is also supported. Additionally, we must continue to oppose any legislation that restricts or weakens the local governments authority to manage their rights-of-way. B. Property Tax Date of Applicability: A recent court decision in a Collier County case related to the application of interim proprietary fees noted that municipalities do not currently have the authority to assess property taxes prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy. Thus, a property that has not obtained a Certificate of Occupancy prior to January 2 of a given taxable year will enjoy the balance of the year free of tax assessments while benefiting from the various services that the municipality provides. City . of Miami 2000 Legislative Priorities Draft as of 1/10/00 C. Legal Notice Requirements, Recent advents of technology have made it possible for masses of people to. be contacted with minimal costs (e.g., omnifax; e-mail, etc.). Such technological advances have not been recognized in the Florida Statutes,'which still require that municipalities advertise in local periodicals. such events as public hearings, etc. The ' City of Miami must commit a substantial sum of money to an advertising budget,;that often fails to fulfill the desired objectives=notice to the public. . . • is .. '� � + � NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING (REVISED) CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA PLEASE ALL TAKE NOTICE THAT a public hearing will be held by the Commission of the City of Miami, Florida, on February 10, 2000 at 9:30 a.m., in the City Commission Chambers at City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, for the purpose of hearing objections or comments regarding the City's legislative priorities for the 2000 State Legislative Session. All interested persons are invited to appear and may be heard concerning the City's state legislative priorities. Should any person desire to appeal any decision of the City Commission with respect to any matter considered at this hearing, that person shall ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, including all testimony and evidence upon which any appeal may be based. (City Seal) (#8236) Walter J. Foeman City Clerk rD;