Control over city issues should stay local

Having just returned from a trip to Tallahassee as part of the Florida League of Cities Fly-in (lobbying our legislative delegation on issues impacting Florida’s 410 incorporated municipalities), I read, with interest, the views expressed by State Representative Randy Fine (HD-53) relative to House Bill 17, which he is sponsoring. HB 17 would emasculate the principle of Home Rule and substitute local regulation preemption.

Residents deserve to be heard by their local elected leaders who live in the same community with them and with whom they have easy access (as opposed to the Legislature, ensconced in Tallahassee, a virtual day’s travel away given the dearth of direct flights from South Florida to the capitol).

Rep. Fine bravely addressed municipal representatives at a luncheon this week where he reiterated his desire to make Florida the best place in the US to start, build and grow a business. However, his lack of local government experience is telling.

There is no outcry from residents or small business owners to ignore the mandate of the 1968 amendment to the Florida Constitution whereby control over city issues was placed in the hands of the locally elected officials.

Notwithstanding Rep. Fine’s assertion that the 103 chapters of the Florida Statutes would protect residents from anarchy, most of what is being regulated locally is not likewise incorporated within those six volumes of laws and one-size fits all solutions would hardly be equitable throughout the state.

Home Rule offers the best model for responding to the unique issues of each municipality. Residents need to communicate their disdain for this attempt to make municipalities dependent on the Legislature for permission to address local issues.