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RESOLUTION URGING CONGRESS AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TO TARGET FUNDS UNDER THE FEDERAL STIMULUS PACKAGE TO TEMPORARY JOBS PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO QUICKLY PUT PEOPLE BACK TO WORK

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WHEREAS, the U.S. economy has lost more than 2.6 million jobs over the past year and U.S. companies continue to lay off tens of thousands of employees each week; and
WHEREAS, the unemployment rate for Miami-Dade County reached 7.0 percent in December, 2008; and
WHEREAS, economists from across the political spectrum have urged Congress to act quickly on a recovery package that creates jobs and spurs economic development; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. House of Representatives passed its economic stimulus package, H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) on Wednesday, January 28; and
WHEREAS, H.R. 1 is estimated to create or save as many as four million jobs over the next two years; and
WHEREAS, H.R. 1 would provide $550 billion in new domestic spending and $275 billion in tax relief and attention now turns to the U.S. Senate where consideration of the Senate�s package, S. 1 is ongoing, with the goal of having a bill ready for President Barack Obama�s signature by the President�s Day recess in mid-February; and
WHEREAS, the $550 billion in new domestic spending in H.R. 1 is targeted at creating public and private sector jobs in transportation, renewable energy, technology and other forward-looking fields; and
WHEREAS, in its current form, H.R. 1 would provide $4 billion for worker training and jobs under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), including $2.7 billion in formula grants in the following three categories: $1.2 billion to create up to one million summer jobs for youth, $1 billion for dislocated workers, and $500 million for adult jobs programs; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the $2.7 billion in formula grants, H.R. 1 provides $1.3 billion in WIA-related funding that will not be distributed based on standard formulas; and
WHEREAS, on a local level, in the wake of Hurricane Andrew, the U.S. Department of Labor funded temporary jobs programs provided by Community Based Organizations to employ people who had lost their jobs as a result of the economic impact from the storm; and
WHEREAS, this temporary jobs program provided by Community Based Organizations proved highly-effective not only at quickly providing jobs and paychecks, but also at providing a much-needed workforce for the community to help get the local economy going again; and
WHEREAS, the program provided a workforce for local infrastructure projects, schools, day cares and volunteer groups to meet needs that existed in many areas following the storm; and
WHEREAS, in conjunction with the infrastructure and additional WIA formula funding in the federal economic stimulus package, Congress and the U.S. Department of Labor should target funding to temporary jobs programs through Community Based Organizations to provide jobs to quickly put people back to work,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Urges Congress and the U.S. Department of Labor to target funds under the federal stimulus package to temporary jobs programs provided by Community Based Organizations to quickly put people back to work.
Section 2. Directs the Clerk of the Board to transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the members of the Florida Congressional Delegation and the U.S. Secretary of Labor.
Section 3. Directs the County's federal lobbyists to advocate for the legislation set forth in Section 1 above, and authorizes and directs that the 2009 Federal Legislative Package be amended to include this item.