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IMPACT FEE LEGISLATION The Board reviewed the following memo from the Florida Association of -Counties dated February 15, 1994: TO: Chairmen, Boards of County Commissioners County Lobbyists FROM: Kari Hebrank, Director of Governmental Relations d' DATE: February 15, 1994 RE:.' Lnpact fee legislation During the past several legislative sessions, the Florida Association of Counties has had to wage a major battle against passage of legislation designed to restrict county government authority to impose impact fees. We have been successful in defeating impact fee legislation, in large part, through the active lobbying of the hometown legislative delegation by members of county commissions from all parts of the state. We are developing an action plan for defeating impact fee legislation that has recently been filed by Representative Buddy Johnson (HB 1137) and Senator John Grant (SB 1544). These bills could have a tremendous negative impact on our counties. Many of you adopted resolutions opposing impact fees in the past. FAC is once again asking County Commissions to approve a resolution opposing impact fee legislation. The FAC Board of Directors recently approved the following position statement: The Florida Association of Counties supports preserving county home rule authority to develop and impose impact fees. You should adopt such a resolution whether or not your county presently imposes impact fees. With the revenue picture for local governments as bleak as it is, counties simply cannot afford to have state legislators in Tallahassee limit or otherwise imperil any. potential county revenue source. This is one of those issues where all county commissions must stand firm and united. Enclosed as "Document A" is a set of optional clauses you might consider in drafting a resolution. Send a copy to FAC, to members.of your legislative delegation, and to the local per - Second, when you meet with members of your legislative delegation, impress upon them your county's opposition to any impact fee legislation. "Document B" contains a set of possible talking points for your use. Identify those commissioners with the best rapport with a particular legislator and have them talk with that legislator. Encourage them to oppose impact fee legislation and discourage them from becoming a co-sponsor on impact fee legislation. You may find your legislator supports some form of impact fee legislation because of one particular problem he or she has been made aware of perhaps by a local home builder or realtor. Find out what the problem is and try to get it resolved.. Work with your legislator in a constructive way to find a jgOL solution. Third, your board should talk to the news media. Meet with your local editorial board, hold a press conference with other groups that support our position (e.g., cities, environmental groups, homeowners associations), and develop a story with a local reporter. Working with the press really helped our lobbying effort on this issue during past legislative sessions. Once you have done these things, do not consider the job done. Continue to remind legislators of your county's position. Remember, there is no more effective lobbying than that done by the local commissioner conferring with members of the legislative delegation back home. Working together, we can again defeat impact fee legislation. Thank you in advance for doing your part. 39 QL D 9 Boa 91. FACE 807 r