County leaders confident delegation will meet goals
Nearly 300 officials, community leaders press issues at Capitol.
TALLAHASSEE — After a full day of meetings and conferences, Palm Beach County leaders say they’re feeling confident the county delegation will do well in the 2018 Legislative Session.
County Administrator Verdenia Baker said in her discussions with legislators on Wednesday during Palm Beach County Day that delegation members appeared eager to do their part to advance the county’s priorities, such as obtaining more generators for shelters.
“They understand, and for the most part, are supporting it,” Baker said. “I believe everyone is focused on resiliency when it comes to hurricanes.”
Additionally, the Palm Beach County event is one of the first of the session, making it easier to keep the county’s issues at the forefront, Baker said.
Palm Beach County Mayor Melissa McKinlay said the visits at the Capitol were productive, but legislators are warning leaders to be “cautious” thanks to stiff competition for dollars.
“It’s been good but ... it’s going to be a competitive year,” she said.
Nearly 300 Palm Beach County government leaders and community figures descended on the Capitol on Wednesday in an effort to bring attention — and some dollars — to the area’s most pressing issues.
In addition to meeting with Palm Beach County elected officials, group members also talked to Gov. Rick Scott’s aide, Kevin Reilly, about increasing the governing power of the county’s health care district and housing authority.
Many issues — such as hurricane response and preparedness and the opioid crisis — already are high priorities among legislators. Sporting a united front makes it easier for the county’s delegation of lawmakers to push their interests, said Assistant County Administrator Todd Bonlarron.
“I look at this as (it’s) helping us help them,” he said.
In a meeting with Rep. Al Jacquet, D-Delray Beach, Baker and School Board member Erica Whitfield updated the lawmaker on how providing more afford-
able housing in the county can curb homelessness and keep teachers in the district.
Reduction in the school property tax makes it difficult for the district to raise the money it needs to offer competitive sala- ries to teachers and keep up with the challenges of serving its student popula- we continue to make it diftion, Whitfield said. ficult.”
One solution would be In a separate interview, to prevent the Legislature Jacquet said the session from using money earcould prove fruitful for marked for housing subPalm Beach County because sidies for other matters, many lawmakers across the Baker said. aisle are facing the same Jacquet agreed. issues in their districts. “Homeownership is the “The majority of the bedrock to stability in our things we do, there is a communities,” he said. consensus,” he said. “I’m “That’s probably the biglooking forward to buildgest investment anyone ing that bridge and help us makes in their lives and focus on the similarities.”