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RESOLUTION URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO MAKE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS IN THE PORT OF MIAMI AND OTHER EXISTING LARGE SEAPORTS IN FLORIDA, RATHER THAN PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE SUBSTANTIAL EXPANSION OF THE PORT OF PANAMA CITY IN FLORIDA�S PANHANDLE

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WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County faces significant economic challenges given the current downturn in the nation�s economy; and
WHEREAS, the Port of Miami along with Miami International Airport are the primary economic engines that drive the economy of Miami-Dade County; and
WHEREAS, the Port of Miami and other existing large Florida seaports face intense competition for both cargo and cruise passengers from other seaports in the U.S. and the Caribbean; and
WHEREAS, there are unmet capital needs at the Port of Miami and other existing large Florida seaports that could benefit from additional state funding; and
WHEREAS, proposals have surfaced to make a substantial infrastructure investment in the Port of Panama City, a small seaport in the Florida Panhandle that would compete with the Port of Miami and other existing large Florida seaports not only for cargo and cruise passenger business, but also for state funding; and
WHEREAS, focusing state funding on building the Port of Panama City into a large seaport in Florida�s Panhandle could simply divert cargo and cruise passenger business from the Port of Miami and other existing large Florida seaports, rather than add new business in Florida; and
WHEREAS, the State of Florida is facing one of the more severe financial crises in the state�s history, with a $2.2 billion budget gap and state revenues estimated to return to levels last seen in fiscal year 2004-05; and
WHEREAS, investing in existing and established large Florida seaports is a better investment of state tax dollars that will yield a better return on public funds at the current time than making a substantial infrastructure investment to build the Port of Panama City into a large seaport to compete with existing Florida seaports; and
WHEREAS, given the current state of the economy, investing substantial Florida tax dollars in developing them small Port of Panama City into a large seaport in the Florida Panhandle is not the best investment of public funds for the state,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Urges the Florida Legislature and the Florida Department of Transportation to make infrastructure investments in the Port of Miami and other existing large seaports in Florida, rather than provide funding for the substantial expansion of the Port of Panama City in Florida�s Panhandle.
Section 2. Directs the Clerk of the Board to transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the Governor, the Senate President, the House Speaker, the Chair and Members of the Miami-Dade County State Legislative Delegation, and the Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation.
Section 3. Directs the County's state lobbyists to advocate for the passage of the legislation set forth in Section 1 above, and directs the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to include this item in the 2009 State Legislative Package.