HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-18-0008City of Miami
Resolution R-18-0008
Legislation
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.
SPONSOR(S): Mayor Francis X. Suarez
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
City of Miami Page 1 of 3 File ID: 3431 (Revision:) Printed On: 3/28/2025
File ID: 3431 Enactment Number: R-18-0008
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.'
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.
City of Miami Page 2 of 3 File ID: 3431 (Revision:) Printed on: 3/28/2025
File ID: 3431 Enactment Number: R-18-0008
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
City of Miami Page 3 of 3 File ID: 3431 (Revision:) Printed on: 3/28/2025