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HomeMy WebLinkAboutExhibit 1CITY OF MIAMI 2007 STATE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AFFORDABLE HOUSING • Modify Florida Statutes Chapter 193 to direct property appraisers to use an income based approach when calculating the value of low to moderate income rental properties for the purpose of property tax assessments The modification requested will direct property appraisers to either solely or place greater weight on the income derived from low to moderate income rental residential units when determining their value for taxable purposes. In this way, the value is set by actual gains from the property and not speculative market derivations, • Provide Tax Abatement Authority to Municipalities for use in Enterprise Zones— The statutory authority to provide property tax abatements in enterprise zones would provide cities with a predictable and powerful tool to encourage the development of affordable workforce housing. Currently, State of Florida statute allows only the abatement of the property taxes of businesses located in enterprise zones. Abatement authority for residential projects would provide substantial local match for projects that obtain state or federal funds. • Scrap the Cap on Sadowski Funds - Preserve the dedicated documentary stamp fees as a funding source for the State and Local Government Housing Trust Fund (Sadowski Trust Fund), eliminates the cap placed on fund distribution, and prohibits any of these trust fund dollars from being diverted to the General Revenue Fund, PROPERTY TAX REFO 9 Support a state tax structure that is fair, equitable, and competitively neutral — Changes to the property tax structure should be done in a way that minimizes fiscal impact on local government and allows municipalities the flexibility to recuperate any lost revenue toward maintaining as neutral a fiscal impact as possible. GREEN ISSUES Support all efforts to provide incentives for green building, municipal fleet replacement, green technology support, alternative energy and fuel research, and any other advancement of the use of green principle& Support the Energy Efficient Motor Vehicle Sales Tax Refund Program to provide financial incentives for the purchase of an alternative fuel motor vehicle, CRIMINAL JUSTICE / LAW ENFORCEMENT Modify Florida Statutes Chapter 419 Community Residential Homes ® add section to ensure that S6a community residential home or dwelling unit that receives residents that have been referred by the Criminal Court system shall provide 24 hour security at that location in order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the other resident and of the surrounding community." • Support Prisoner Re -Entry Programs — We encourage the development of state and local prisoner reentry programs that model the prisoner services that are allotted for those that are released out of federal prisons. The City of Miami currently has 4 VISTA. volunteers assigned to the Prisoner Reentry Program to refer individuals to proper housing, employment, and support services within the City. Our faith -based initiative will soon include a Faith -based link that will train pastors on the needs of prisoners reentering society and developing a referral system for churches too. • Allow for the Confiscation of 15 USC 5001 non -compliant Toy Guns - The creation or definition of a state mechanism will allow for law enforcement authorities to rid our state of dangerous imitation firearms that have pose a threat to law enforcement when used by children and teens in play. The City of Miami is prompted to make this request by our police department which has already encountered several non -compliant imitation firearms for sale in economically depressed areas of our city leading to several instances where officer have had to draw weapons in order to protect their lives when faced with non -compliant .firearms. • Support allowing the use of red light cameras for traffic enforcement • Modify Florida Statutes Section 790.15(1) to make public discharge of a firearm a felony ® change statute as follows "(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) or subsection (3), any person who knowingly discharges a firearm in any public place or on the right-of-way of any paved public road, highway, or street or whosoever knowingly discharges any firearm over the right-of-way of any paved public road, highway, or street or over any occupied premises is guilty of a felony..." SPORTATION • Support legislative authorization prior to the Florida Department of Transportation removing or delaying any project that is contained in the FDOT Five -Year Work Plan, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT • Support appropriations for grants to fund hazard mitigation programs in local communities, loss prevention efforts, and the costs of un-reirnbursed hazard - related damages. • Modify FS Chapter 252 to allow cities with populations of over 200K to apply to the DCA for independent operation under the State Emergency Management Act. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT • Support passage of I1B 603 f SB 1418 An act relating to local business taxes, authorizing use of tax revenues to attract, retain, or expand small businesses. We further support the creation and expansion of economic and technical aid that attracts, retains or expands small businesses. • Support the creation and expansions of matching funds or a state tax credit for employers that offer Employee Affordable Housing programs. Local governments throughout Florida are facing alarming shortages of affordably priced housing, impacting retention of essential personnel and adversely affecting healthy, balanced and sustainable economic development. Local governments can leverage a share of the AHT with Employer Assisted Housing Programs thus allowing would allow our local employers (hospitals, universities, retailers, hotels, academic and financial institutions et.al.) to offer matching funds to retain and recruit employees/working families in the urban core and enhance community economic stability. • Support full funding for the Entertainment Industry Incentive Fund • Support an exception to FS Section 288.1162 seeking to increase the number of facilities that may be certified as facilities for new or retained professional sports franchises under said statute, TELECOMMUNICATIONS / UTILITIES Oppose all efforts to eliminate cable franchising authority from local governments. BUDGET REQUESTS Wagner Creek / Seybold Canal Dredge - $12 Million - The U.S. Array Corps of Engineers (Corps) recently commenced the maintenance dredging of the federal channel of the Miami River for navigational purposes. The River is being dredged from the water control structure near NW 36th Street to the mouth where it flows into Biscayne Bay. Although the footprint of the federal navigation channel occupies much of the Miami River, significant quantities of contaminated sediments exist outside the boundaries of the federal channel and are thus ineligible for removal under the federal project. This project, will provide funding necessary to dredge a main tributary to the River. Wagner Creek and the Seybold Canal, both outside the federal channel. Wagner Creek is located from NW 20 Street to NW 11 Street and Seybold Canal is located from NW 11 Street to the Miami River. Wagner Creek and Seybold Canal have approximately 16,000 and 6,000 cubic yards, respectively of loose sediment to be removed and disposed at an approved landfill, or transported to an approved disposal site. Wagner Creek also requires bank stabilization. Soils testing have confirmed that the sediments at both waterways are contaminated with dioxins, a hazardous compound; therefore special handling and disposal will be required for the work as mandated by the regulatory permitting agencies. Lastly, coordination with the Federal dredging project would allow the projects to be performed concurrently minimizing impacts to adjacent residents and businesses Watson Island Transportation Improvements ® $3 Million - The City of Miami anticipates developing Watson Island into a landmark mix for public purpose, including a passive park, aviation facilities, waterfront specialty, center including a mega -yacht marina along with the existing public purpose attractions currently operating on the Island, the City anticipates the economic impact to the state will be a tremendous boost as well as providing residents and visitors a dynamic waterfront experience. Kinloch Storm Sewer Improvements Project, B-50705 - $1.4 Million - The scope of the project consists of the construction of storm sewer improvements in the area bounded by S.W. 8 Street, N.W. 7 Street, S.W./N.W. 42 Avenue and S.WJN.W. 47 Avenue. The improvements consists of exfiltration trench (french drains), storm sewer pipe for gravity conveyance, new outfall, new connections to existing outfalls, weirs, baffles, manholes, catch basins, cross drains, and surface restoration. Note: Storm water from this project discharges to the C-4 Canal (Tamiami Canal) which connects to the Biscayne Bay via the Miami River, Biscayne Bay is a SFWMD priority water body. Belle Meade Storm Sewers Project, Phase II, B-50672 - $1.4 Million - The scope of the project consists of the construction of storm sewer improvements in the area approximately bounded by N,E. 6 Court, N.E. 9 Avenue, N.E. 74 Street, and the Little River Canal. The improvements consists of storm sewer pipe for gravity conveyance, manholes, catch basins, a water quality/pollution control structure, cross drains, new outfall, plugging of existing outfalls, roadway resurfacing, selected road reconstruction, and surface restoration. Note: Storm water from this project discharges to the Little River Canal which directly connects to the Biscayne Bay. Biscayne Bay is a SFWMD priority water body. Fairlawn Storm Sewer Improvements Project, Phase III, B-50704 - $1.4 Million - The scope of the project consists of the construction of storm sewer improvements in the area bounded by S.W. 8 Street, W. Flagler Street, S.W. 47 Avenue and S.W. 57 Avenue. The improvements consists of exfiltration trench (french drains), storm sewer pipe for gravity conveyance, new connections to existing outfalls, manholes, catch basins, cross drains, and surface restoration. Note: Storm water from this project discharges to the C-4 Canal (Tamiami Canal) which connects to the Biscayne Bay via the Miami River. Biscayne Bay is a SFWMD priority water body Flagami West End Storm Sewer Improvements Project, Phase 11, B-50695 - $13 Million - The scope of the project consists of the construction of storm sewer improvements in the area approximately bounded by N.W./S.W. 62 Avenue, N.W./S.W. 69 Avenue, S.W. 8 Street, and Tamiami Canal Road.. The improvements consists of exfiltration trench (french drains), storm sewer pipe for gravity conveyance, manholes, catch basins, cross drains, new outfall, retrofit of existing outfalls and surface restoration. _Note: Storm water from this project discharges to the C-4 Canal (Tamiami Canal) which connects to the Biscayne Bay via the Miami River. Biscayne Bay is a SFWMD priority water body. Green Technology Center - $750,000 - The Green Technology Center will serve as a resource center for developers building green buildings, youth that will participate in workshops/field trips, and researchers that are exploring/researching new technology. Unite for Peace Miami — $500,000 - Case management, intervention, and prevention programming for targeted at risk youth in the inner cily Elderly Feeding Program - $500,000 — Provide meals and other support services to needy senior citizens and will offset any losses from Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding cuts. Boundless Playgrounds - $500,000 — will allow for the construction of approximately four more playgrounds that serve disabled and handicapped children, facilitating interaction between children of all abilities.