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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Item Cover PageAGENDA ITEM COVER PAGE File ID: #3431 Resolution Sponsored by: Mayor Francis Suarez A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION URGING GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT AND THE MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO FUND THE MIAMI PROJECT TO CURE PARALYSIS AT AN AMOUNT THAT WOULD COVER ANY POTENTIAL SHORTFALL IN REVENUE RESULTING FROM THE TERMINATION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI'S TRAFFIC INFRACTION ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM; DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO INCLUDE THIS ISSUE AS AN ADDITIONAL STATE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY FOR THE 2018 SESSION; DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A CERTIFIED COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT AND THE MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE. City of Miami Legislation Resolution Enactment Number: R-18-0008 City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com File Number: 3431 Final Action Date:1/11/2018 A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION URGING GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT AND THE MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO FUND THE MIAMI PROJECT TO CURE PARALYSIS AT AN AMOUNT THAT WOULD COVER ANY POTENTIAL SHORTFALL IN REVENUE RESULTING FROM THE TERMINATION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI'S TRAFFIC INFRACTION ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM; DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO INCLUDE THIS ISSUE AS AN ADDITIONAL STATE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY FOR THE 2018 SESSION; DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A CERTIFIED COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT AND THE MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE. WHEREAS, the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis was founded in 1985 with a vision to find a cure for paralysis by gathering a committed group of scientists from various clinical and scientific disciplines to research spinal cord injuries; and WHEREAS, since its inception, a goal of the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis has been to increase the number of laboratories undertaking spinal cord injury research by recruiting premier scientists to the field and by training students who will establish new research laboratories throughout the world; and WHEREAS, the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis is considered the premier investigative research program conducting cutting edge discovery, translational, and clinical investigations targeting spinal cord and brain injuries; and WHEREAS, the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis is renowned by scientists in various medical fields and serves as a model for other institutions that are developing centers for spinal cord injury research; and WHEREAS, on December 14, 2017, the City Commission terminated an agreement between the City of Miami ("City") and American Traffic Solutions, Inc. ("ATS"), which provided for the City's Traffic Infraction Enforcement Program; and WHEREAS, the City's Traffic Infraction Enforcement Program operated pursuant to the requirements of the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act ("Act"), Section 316.0083, Florida Statutes; and WHEREAS, part of the City's obligation under the Act was to remit a small portion of the fines collected from each violation to the Florida Department of Revenue for deposit into the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund; and WHEREAS, the proceeds of the infractions in the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund are distributed quarterly to the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and used for brain and spinal cord research; and WHEREAS, in 2017, the City's remittance to the Florida Department of Revenue for deposit into the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund from fines collected under the Act was approximately $340,000.00; and WHEREAS, due to the termination of the City's Traffic Infraction Enforcement Program, the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis will experience a research funding deficit due to the absence of available distributions from the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund; and WHEREAS, State Representative Jose R. Oliva, District 110, has pledged his full commitment to the City to work with his colleagues in the Florida House of Representatives to ensure that funding for the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis will be included in the House Appropriation Bill for this upcoming 2018 Legislative Session to make up for any potential shortfall in revenue resulting from the termination of the City's Traffic Infraction Enforcement Program; and WHEREAS, the City Commission strongly urges Governor Rick Scott and the members of the Florida Legislature to identify an alternative source of revenue in favor of the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and/or include the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis in the House and Senate Appropriation Bill during the 2018 Legislative Session to fund the project at an amount that would cover the potential shortfall in revenue resulting from the termination of the City's Traffic Infraction Enforcement Program; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION 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 as if fully set forth in this Section. Section 2. The City Commission urges Governor Rick Scott and the members of the Florida Legislature to fund the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at an amount that would cover any potential shortfall in revenue resulting from the termination of the City's Traffic Infraction Enforcement Program. Section 3. The City Manager is hereby directed to include this issue as an additional state legislative priority for the 2018 session. Section 4. The City Clerk is hereby directed to transmit a certified copy of this Resolution to Governor Rick Scott and the Members of the Florida Legislature. Section 5. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption and signature of the Mayor.' APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS: ndez, City Httor ey 1/2/2018 1 If the Mayor does not sign this Resolution, it shall become effective at the end of ten (10) calendar days from the date it was passed and adopted. If the Mayor vetoes this Resolution, it shall become effective immediately upon override of the veto by the City Commission.