House Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #1600 Increase in Funding for Florida's Regional Planning Councils
Requester:	Ronald Book		Organization:		Florida Regional Councils Association
Project Title:	Increase in Funding for Florida's Regional Planning Councils		Date Submitted:		01/26/2000 3:31:12 PM
District Member:	James Fuller		Service Area:		Statewide
Counties Affected:	{Statewide}
Recipient:	Regional Planning Councils		Contact:		Ronald Book
	9143 Phillips Hwy, Suite 350		Contact Phone:		(305) 935-1866
	Jacksonville 32256
Project Description:
The purpose of this project is to increase funding for Florida?s eleven (11) Regional Planning Councils from $2.23 million to $2.7 million, an increase of approximately $500,000. Regional Planning Councils have received funds from the Legislature since the early 1970s. From the early 1980s through Fiscal Year 1997-98, the Regional Planning Council appropriation came from non-recurring general revenue. In Fiscal Year 1998-99, for the first time in their history, Regional Planning Councils were given a recurring line of funding by the Legislature for their annual appropriation. (It should be noted that each year, 70 percent of the annual appropriation is split evenly among the eleven Regional Planning Councils, while the remaining 30 percent is split based on each Region?s proportionate share of the state?s population. The Regional Planning Councils remain supportive of this traditional fund split.) The funding level for Regional Planning Councils has on average, remained constant at $2.3 million statewide since 1985. Furthermore, local governments across the state continue to subsidize the Legislature?s annual appropriation to the Regional Planning Councils. In 1999, this subsidy came to a total of $3,772,079, or 62.8% of the actual cost of implementing Regional Planning Councils? mandated responsibilities, including the state?s growth management initiatives and related planning and technical assistance. While this subsidy allows the necessary planning functions related to growth management to be carried out, there are many other regional programs and initiatives that go unfunded or are inadequately funded because these local reserves are no longer available.
Services Provided/Benefit to State:
Florida?s local governments are the primary beneficiary of this proposal to increase Regional Planning Council funding. An increase in funding would allow Regional Planning Councils to better fulfill their statutory obligations without subsidizing those activities with local reserves, which would otherwise compromise Regional Planning Councils? ability to meet many of the other necessary economic, transportation, affordable housing, and emergency preparedness needs of the local governments within their region. Furthermore, as Florida?s only multi-purpose regional entity, Regional Planning Councils? mission is crucial to the ability of the Executive Office of the Governor, Department of Community Affairs, and other state agencies to successfully implement their statutory obligations related to growth management as well as implementation of Regional Planning Councils? Strategic Regional Policy Plans and the State Comprehensive Plan.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
Funding this project would result in increased services to Florida?s local governments, particularly with respect to planning and technical assistance needs, enhanced performance of Regional Planning Councils, and heightened compliance with Chapter 186, F.S., and other statutory obligations and responsibilities. The Legislature?s annual appropriation to the Regional Planning Councils is passed through the Department of Community Affairs. The Department annually enters into contracts with each of the Regional Planning Councils as a vehicle for the Regional Planning Councils to carry out their statutorily mandated obligations and responsibilities. Pursuant to these contracts, Regional Planning Councils are required to submit quarterly reports outlining their activities for the quarter and demonstrating compliance with the contract. Measurable outcomes are provided in these quarterly reports.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:				$500,000
Total cost of the project:		$500,000

Request has been made to fund:			Operations
Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?				Unknown
Was this project previously funded by the State?				No
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?				Unknown
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?				Unknown
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?				Unknown
Is there a documented need for this project?				Yes
	Documentation:	The justification for this project is that there has not been a consistent increase in Regional Plan
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?				Yes
	Hearing Body:	Regional Planning Council Boards
	Meeting Date:	01/10/2000