Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #2485FY0001 Increase in Funding for Florida's Regional Planning Councils
Requester:		Florida Regional Council Association			Organization:		Florida Regional Councils Association
Project Title:		Increase in Funding for Florida's Regional Planning Councils			Date Submitted:		2/9/01 4:06:15 PM
Sponsors:		Mario Diaz-Balart
Statewide Interest:		This project enables the FRPC's to carry out their state mandated functions
Recipient:		Regional Planning Council			Contact:		Ronald L. Book
		314 E. Central Ave., Rm. 119			Contact Phone:		(305) 935-1866
		Blountstown 32424
Counties:		{Statewide}
Service Area:		Government Entity
Project Description:
The purpose of this project is to increase funding for Florida's eleven Regional Planning Councils (RPC's) from $2.23 million to $3 million, which is an increase of $763,750. In Fiscal Year 1998-99, for the first time in their history, RPC's were given a recurring line of funding by the Legislature for their annual appropriation. (It should be noted that each year, 70% of the annual appropriation is split evenly among the 11 RPC's, while the remaining 30% is split based on each region's proportionate share of the state's population. The RPC's remain supportive of this traditional fund split.) The funding level for RPC's 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 RPC's. In Fiscal Year 1999-2000, this subsidy came to a total of $3,782,860, or 62.8% of the actual cost of implementing RPC's 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. This requested increase does not take into account the cost associated with an enhanced role for Regional Planning Councils, as is being contemplated by the Growth Management Study Commission.
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. Florida's local governments are the primary beneficiary of this proposal since an increase in funding will allow RPC's to better fulfill their statutory obligations without subsidizing their activities with local reserves.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:						$763,750
Identify item(s) in the Appropriations Bill to be reduced:
Specific Appropriation #:
Specific Appropriation Title:
Amount to be reduced:			$
Fund Source:			General Revenue
Total cost of the project:			$763,750
Request has been made to fund:				Operations
Type of funding match:		Local
	Total Cash Amount:		$3,772,079
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?							No
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?							No
Is there a documented need for this project?							Yes
	Documentation:		There has not been an increase in RPC funding since 1985, in spite of increasing regional needs.
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?							Yes
	Hearing Body:		Dade County Legislative Delegation
	Meeting Date:		1/17/01