TOWN OF CUTLER BAY
2015
STATE LEGISLATIVE ITEMS
SUBMITTALTitle
Body
Mayor Peggy R. Bell
Vice Mayor Ernest N. Sochin
Council Member Roger Coriat
Council Member Sue Ellen Loyzelle
Council Member Mary Ann Mixon
Town of Cutler Bay
Legislative Principles
· State Government should focus on state-level issues and allow local governments to operate with minimal state interference. The Town of Cutler Bay will oppose legislation that increases the involvement of state government in municipal affairs and preempts local governing prerogatives.
· For Florida's economy to prosper, cities need to succeed. The Town of Cutler Bay will promote state investments in municipal infrastructure in order to create jobs and promote municipal revitalization. This will include funding for wastewater and stormwater improvements, local transportation projects, park and recreational activities, green technologies, and energy-saving initiatives.
· State Government should not be allowed to continue disrupting the relationship between citizens and their city elected officials' authority to make decisions impacting the provision of municipal services and quality of life. The Town of Cutler Bay will oppose additional arbitrary limits on property assessments, municipal expenditures, and local revenues.
· State mandates should be funded with state resources and should not seek to access local tax dollars. The Town of Cutler Bay will oppose unfunded mandates and support policies that require full funding of state initiatives and mandates to cities.
2015
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
Appropriations
2015-01 The Town of Cutler Bay supports grant and legislative line item funding that enhances local financial capacity to address water resource and water supply development. The Town further supports enhanced funding of the Water Protection and Sustainability Program within the Department of Environmental Protection for comprehensive water supply infrastructure needs.
Ø Application submitted to the South Florida Water Management District (confirmation # 8016912) for "Stormwater/Pollutant Elimination Project - Point Royale Section #5" in the amount of $570,980 (includes a Town match in the amount of $ 285,490).
§ Project identified in the Town's 2008 Stormwater Master Plan (Adopted via Town Resolution #08-50) and Town's 2014 Local Mitigation Strategy (Adopted via Town Resolution #14-55).
2015-02 The Town of Cutler Bay supports grant and legislative line item funding that enhances local financial capacity to address water resource and water supply development. The Town further supports enhanced funding of the Water Protection and Sustainability Program within the Department of Environmental Protection for comprehensive water supply infrastructure needs.
Ø Application submitted to the South Florida Water Management District (confirmation # 8016911) for "Stormwater/Pollutant Elimination Project - Saga Bay 1.2 sub-basin" in the amount of $330,500 (includes a Town match in the amount of $ 165,250).
§ Project identified in the Town's 2008 Stormwater Master Plan (Adopted via Town Resolution #08-50) and Town's 2014 Local Mitigation Strategy (Adopted via Town Resolution #14-55).
2015-03 The Town of Cutler Bay supports grant and legislative line item funding that enhances local financial capacity to address water resource and water supply development. The Town further supports enhanced funding of the Water Protection and Sustainability Program within the Department of Environmental Protection for comprehensive water supply infrastructure needs.
Ø Application submitted to the South Florida Water Management District (confirmation # 8016975) for "Canal Bank Erosion Protection" - SFWMD Canal C-1N in the amount of $350,000 (includes a Town match in the amount of $ 175,000).
§ Project identified in the Town's 2008 Stormwater Master Plan (Adopted via Town Resolution #08-50) and Town's 2014 Local Mitigation Strategy (Adopted via Town Resolution #14-55).
2015-04 The Town of Cutler Bay supports grant and legislation line item funding for the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP).
The Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) is a successful funding vehicle for local government park development and recreational efforts and has helped leverage local dollars.
Ø Application submitted to the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program for "Canoe/Kayak Launch and Parking Facilities" in the amount of $200,000 (includes a Town match in the amount of $100,000).
§ Project identified in the Town's 2009 Parks Master Plan (Adopted via Town Resolution #09-15).
2015-05 The Town of Cutler Bay supports grant and legislative line item funding that enforces State-wide/Regional/Local environmental education opportunities to study/enjoy fragile Biscayne Bay Wetlands.
Ø Town staff will be filing a budget request to the Florida Department of Protection (FDEP) for "Cutler Bay Wetlands Observation Pavilion" in the amount of $185,000.
§ Project identified in the Town's 2014-19 Strategic Master Plan (Adopted via Town Resolution #14-71).
2015-06 The Town of Cutler Bay supports grant and legislative line item funding that dedicates to small businesses state economic development resources. Small businesses are the strength of Florida's economy; but they are often overlooked or do not qualify for existing economic development initiatives.
Ø Town staff will be filing a budget request to the Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee for "Town Center District Small Business Incubator" in the amount of $180,000 (includes a Town match in the amount of $30,000).
§ Project identified in the Town's 2014-19 Strategic Master Plan (Adopted via Town Resolution #14-71).
2015-07 The Town of Cutler Bay supports grant and legislative line item funding that dedicates to small businesses state economic development resources. Small businesses are the strength of Florida's economy; but they are often overlooked or do not qualify for existing economic development initiatives.
Ø Town staff will be filing a budget request to the Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee for "US-1 Corridor Economic Development Plan" in the amount of $200,000 (includes a Town match in the amount of $20,000).
§ Project identified in the Town's 2014-19 Strategic Master Plan (Adopted via Town Resolution #14-71).
2015-08 The Town of Cutler Bay supports grant and legislative line item funding through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program administered by the Division of Emergency Management.
Ø Town staff will be filing a budget request to the State of Florida - Division of Emergency Management for "Cutler Bay Town Hall/EOC Hardening Project" in the amount of $1,586,000 (includes a Town match in the amount of $475,800).
§ Project identified in the Town's 2014 Local Mitigation Strategy (Adopted via Town Resolution #14-55).
Legislation - SUPPORTS
v The Town of Cutler Bay supports strengthening the prohibition on existing and new unfunded mandates, requires enhanced staff analyses of quantification of the costs to cities, and ensures full state funding sources be assigned whenever unfunded mandates are identified.
v The Town of Cutler Bay supports Senate Bill 0166, as it relates to the ban on "Fracking" activity in the State of Florida. "Fracking," or "hydraulic fracturing," is a drilling process which involves the injection of water, sand and other elements into the ground to create fractures in rock formations, allowing for the release of natural gas and oil, thus posing a threat to the Floridian aquifer, other natural resources and the environment.
v The Town of Cutler Bay supports the creation of regulations related to retail business centers with parking lots containing 25 or more parking spaces; providing for installation of security camera systems for parking lot surveillance.
The Town Council of Cutler Bay finds that the parking lots of retail, restaurant and service establishments may expose people to the risk of abductions, robberies, and other similar criminal acts.
A study conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice, Community Oriented Policing Services has determined that there is a reduced level of fear amongst people who are aware they are under video surveillance, while also encouraging people to be more security conscious. (For more details please refer to Town Ordinance #09-03).
v The Town of Cutler Bay supports the South Florida Water Management District AND the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands - Phase I Project. The Cutler Wetlands re-establishes connectivity between coastal and near shore wetlands and hydrates areas susceptible to hyper saline conditions including a pump station, culverts and a spreader canal.
The intent of the South Florida Water Management District and the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands Project is to rehydrate coastal wetlands and reduce freshwater point source discharges to Biscayne Bay. In addition, the project will replace lost overland flow and partially compensate for the reduction in groundwater seepage by redistributing available surface water entering the area from regional canals through a spreader canal system.
On June 10, 2014, the project received congressional authorization in the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) of 2014. Congressional authorization now makes the project eligible for funding during the appropriations process.
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