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Home My WebLink AboutCRA-R-08-0070 Back-up• • • Fort Lauderdale Jacksonville Los Angeles Madison Miami New York Orlando Tallahassee Tampa Tysons Corner Washington, DC West Palm Beach MEMORANDUM Akerman Senterfitt LLP ATTORNEYS AT LAW 80] Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. Suite 600 Washington, DC 20004 www.akerman.com 202 393-6222 tel 202 393 5959 fax TO: James Villacorta FROM: Mike Abrams Jane Sargent DATE: November 20, 2008 SUBJECT: Federal Lobbying Report Since 2001, we have assisted Camillus House with obtaining federal funding through Congressional earmarks and grants. Our main focus has been securing appropriations for Camillus to construct a new, expanded facility that will allow them to expand the services they currently provide to the poor and homeless in Miami. We have helped Camillus obtain over $1.3 5 million in Congressional earmarks for their new facility through the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) budget. HRSA is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We also helped Camillus secure a $250,000 earmark through the Department of Housing and Urban Development's budget to expand its programs. We have a pending appropriations request for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 for $3.6 million to continue funding for the construction of Camillus' new medical and homeless facility. Camillus also submitted two additional requests in FY2009 to expand its programs and services. In February and March 2008, we prepared and submitted the required appropriations forms and supporting materials to the Miami -Dade Congressional delegation. Throughout the year, we have worked with the Senators, Members of Congress and staff in support of Camillus' appropriations requests. This year, we also worked extensively with the delegation in support of a grant application Camillus submitted to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services • • • Administration (SAMSHA) to fund a program for substance abuse treatment and HIV/AIDS prevention services to poor and homeless people in Miami. We have arranged and attended several Congressional meetings for Camillus House officials, including Dr. Paul Ahr, President and CEO, Peter England, the Director of Government Relations, and Pat Cawley, Chief Operating Officer, to discuss Camillus' appropriations projects and grants issues. Throughout the year, we have continued to meet and work with Congressional offices on Camillus issues and will continue to work with them as the FY2009 appropriations process continues. Since 2001, we have worked with Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18th) whose district includes Camillus House. She is very supportive of the project and is working to obtain federal funding for Camillus House again this year. We also work closely with the other Miami - Dade County members — Congressmen Lincoln Diaz Balart (FL-21 St), Mario Diaz-Balart (FL- 25th), Kendrick Meek (FL-17th) and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz — who continue to support the project and are working to help us secure federal funding for the new facility. We also work with Senators Nelson and Martinez, who continue to support Camillus House and have helped to obtain federal funding for Camillus and the new facility. In working to obtain federal appropriations for Camillus House over the past five years, we have also contacted Congressman David Obey (WI-7th), Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. We have a longstanding relationship with the Chairman and will continue to work with him during the remainder of the FY2009 appropriations process. We have also helped to arrange meetings for Camillus with other federal agency officials, including the White House Office of Faith -Based and Community Initiatives and the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, which has commended the City of Miami and Camillus House for their efforts to address homelessness in the city. As the FY2009 appropriations process continues, we will continue to work with Miami - Dade delegation to obtain federal money for Camillus House. Camillus has two pending requests in the FY2009 Labor-HHS-Education and Transportation -HUD appropriations bills. Congress did not complete either bill before the 2009 fiscal year began on October 1. Congress only completed the FY2009 Defense, Homeland Security and Military Construction/Veterans Affairs appropriations bills before the fiscal year began. The nine remaining bills, including Labor-HHS-Education and Transportation -HUD, were included in a Continuing Resolution (CR) that will fund the rest of the federal government until March 6, 2009. Congress is planning to complete the remaining FY2009 bills when they reconvene in January. They are expected to combine the remaining bills into one large omnibus bill that will try to complete in January or early February so that they can begin working on the FY2010 appropriations process. We will continue working with the Congressional offices and Appropriations Committee staff to obtain funding for Camillus' new facility. In October, Camillus hosted a groundbreaking celebration for its new facility to be located on NW Seventh Avenue. This event and the impending relocation of Camillus' main 2 • • center of operations has generated enthusiasm within the Congressional delegation, who have strongly supported the project and Camillus' efforts for many years. The Congressional delegation understands the critical need for the new facility which will help the City of Miami and Camillus achieve its 10-year goal of ending chronic homelessness in Miami. The delegation also appreciates that the new facility and re -location of Camillus' operations are important to the redevelopment of downtown Miami. Support from the community and Iocal leaders has helped to enhance the delegation's support over the years. The overwhelming community support and local government support from the City of Miami, as well as Miami -Dade County, has had a great impact on the delegation and has enhanced the Members ability to advocate for ore federal support for the project. After working on the project for several years, the Congressional delegation is committed to supporting Camillus and looks forward to the new facility opening In addition to Camillus, the planned expansion of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) boundaries will include Bicentennial Museum Park, the future home of the Miami Art Museum and the Miami Science Museum. We have been involved with this project for several years and the Miami Science Museum's effort to re -locate to a new facility in the park. We have helped the Museum obtain $1.15 million in federal earmarks since FY2005. Currently, we have a $750,000 earmark pending in the FY2009 appropriations process for the Museum. This money will help the Museum incorporate energy efficient technologies into their new facility. We will continue to work with Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen's office on this project. In 2004 and 2005, we also worked with the Miami Science Museum and the City of Miami on a joint request for the transportation re -authorization bill that was pending before Congress. The purpose of the request was to make infrastructure and road improvements related to the Bicentennial Museum Park. Congress completed the current transportation re -authorization bill, known as SAFETEA- LU, and it was signed into law in August 2005. SAFETEA-LU expires on September 30, 2009. We worked with the City of Miami on SAFETEA-LU and look forward to working with them again when the legislation is re -authorized next year. We were successful in obtaining funding for several highway and transit projects in SAFETEA-LU, including 9 projects for the City of Miami. These projects included a $50 million authorization for Miami Downtown Streetcar project and 8 earmarks for road projects totaling $8.8 million: • $1.6 million to a Conduct Study for Port of Miami Tunnel, Miami, FL; ▪ $1 million for the Construction of new multi -lane tunnel below the channel to link the Port of Miami on Dodge Island with 1-395 on Watson Island and 1-95 Downtown Miami (Port of Miami Tunnel); • $400,000 for the Construction of a new multi -lane tunnel below the channel to link the Port of Miami on Dodge Island with 1-395 on Watson Island and 1-95 in Downtown Miami (Port of Miami Tunnel); 3 • • ■ $1.6 million for the Construction and Design of Miami River Greenway Road Improvements and 5th Street Improvements; ■ $1 million for the City of Miami Greenway Roadway, Construction and design of Miami Greenway Road Improvements and 5th Street improvements; • $1.2 million to Construct bicycle and pedestrian underpass and park under 1-95, Miami (Overtown Greenway Project); • $1.2 million for the Coral Way, SR 972 Highway Beautification, Phase One, Miami, Florida; and, • $800,000 for the Traffic reconfiguration of SR 934 and US 1 Route, Miami. The Congress will begin working on the transportation re -authorization bill early next year. We look forward to working with the City to develop its agenda. Like the previous bill, we are prepared to work with the City to complete and submit all of the necessary forms and supporting materials required by the delegation to make project requests in the bill. We will also work with the delegation throughout the process to ensure that the City's projects are funded in the final version of the bill. For your reference, please find attached a number of reports and appropriations updates we have prepared for Camillus House and the CRA this year. We have also included below a chart of the federal appropriations Camillus has received since Fiscal Year 2002. Please let us know if you would like any additional materials we have prepared for Camillus House or information about our ongoing efforts on behalf of Camillus House and. the CRA. $600,000 $500,000 $400, 000 $300,000 $200,000 $100,000 Camillus House Federal Appropriations 4 FY2002 ▪ FY2003 ❑ FY2004 ▪ FY2006 ❑ FY2008 • • City of Miami Legislation CRA Resolution City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com File Number: 08-01469 Final Action Date: A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE BOARDS OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST AND OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO GENERAL COUNSEL, WITH AKERMAN, SENTERFITT & EIDSON, P.A. FOR REPRESENTATION AND LOBBYING SERVICES BEFORE CONGRESS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES REGARDING LEGISLATIVE ISSUES AND APPROPRIATIONS REQUESTS, FOR A TWO-YEAR PERIOD COMMENCING FEBRUARY 1, 2009, IN AN ANNUAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $48,000, FOR A TWO-YEAR TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED $96,000, PLUS REASONABLE EXPENSES AS APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; ALLOCATING FUNDS AS FOLLOWS: $16,000 EACH FROM FY 2009 SEOPW TAX INCREMENT FUND, "PROFESSIONAL SERVICES - OTHER," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.531000.0000.00000, AND OMNI TAX INCREMENT FUND, "PROFESSIONAL SERVICES - OTHER," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10040.920101.531000.0000.00000; $24,000 EACH FROM FY 2010 SEOPW TAX INCREMENT FUND, "PROFESSIONAL SERVICES - OTHER," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.531000.0000.00000, AND OMNI TAX INCREMENT FUND, "PROFESSIONAL SERVICES - OTHER," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10040.920101.531000.0000.00000; $8,000 EACH FROM FY 2011 SEOPW TAX INCREMENT FUND, "PROFESSIONAL SERVICES - OTHER," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10050.920101.531000.0000.00000, AND OMNI TAX INCREMENT FUND, "PROFESSIONAL SERVICES - OTHER," ACCOUNT CODE NO. 10040.920101.531000.0000.00000. WHEREAS, Akerman, Senterfitt & Eidson, P.A. has been engaged to provide representation and lobbying services before Congress and federal agencies regarding legislative issues and appropriations on behalf of the Southeast Overtown/Park West and Omni Redevelopment District Community Redevelopment Agencies ("CRAs"); and WHEREAS, the current agreement for representation and lobbying services will expire on February 1, 2009; and WHEREAS, Florida Statutes Section 163.356(3)(c) authorizes community redevelopment agencies to "employ ... technical experts, and such other agents ... as it requires ..."; and WHEREAS, the Boards of Commissioners wish to continue such representation and lobbying services for the upcoming congressional session; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARDS OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST AND OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY City of Miami Page 1 of 2 Printed On: 12/8/2008 File Number: 08-01469 • REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA: Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are adopted by reference and incorporated herein as if fully set forth in this Section. Section 2. The Executive Director is authorized to execute an agreement, in a form acceptable to General Counsel, with Akerman, Senterfitt & Eidson, P.A. for representation and lobbying services before Congress and federal agencies regarding legislative issues and appropriations requests, for a two-year period commencing February 1, 2009, in an amount not to exceed $48,000 annually or $96,000 over the term of the agreement, plus reasonable expenses as approved by the Executive Director. Section 3. Funds to be allocated as follows: $16,000 each from FY 2009 SEOPW Tax Increment Fund, "Professional Services - Other," Account Code No. 10050.920101.531000.0000.00000, and Omni Tax Increment Fund, "Professional Services - Other," Account Code No. 10040.920101.531000.0000.00000; $24,000 each from FY 2010 SEOPW Tax Increment Fund, "Professional Services - Other," Account Code No. 10050.920101.531000.0000.00000, and Omni Tax Increment Fund, "Professional Services - Other," Account Code No. 10040.920101.531000.0000.00000; $8,000 each from FY 2011 SEOPW Tax Increment Fund, "Professional Services - Other," Account Code No. 10050.920101.531000.0000.00000, and Omni Tax Increment Fund, "Professional Services - Other," Account Code No. 10040.920101.531000.0000.00000. Section 4. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS: JULIE O. BRU GENERAL COUNSEL City of Miami Page 2 of 2 Printed On: 12/8/2008