TITLE
RESOLUTION URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO ENACT LEGISLATION TO REPLACE THE FLORIDA ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM WITH A NEW FINANCIAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESSES TO LOCATE OR EXPAND IN AREAS IDENTIFIED AS ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND IN NEED OF ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION; PRELIMINARILY IDENTIFYING THIS ISSUE AS A CRITICAL COUNTY PRIORITY FOR THE 2016 STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION

BODY
WHEREAS, Florida offers private sector businesses many financial incentive programs, some of which are designed to help revitalize economically distressed areas throughout the state by encouraging businesses to invest in, locate and expand to, and hire new employees in such areas; and
WHEREAS, these financial incentive programs have proven effective in:
* creating new jobs for residents of economically distressed areas and increasing consumer buying power within such areas;
* improving several fundamental socioeconomic indicators within economically distressed areas, including poverty rate, unemployment rate, job growth, median family income, and homeownership rate; and
* spurring industrial and commercial investment and development within economically distressed areas; and
WHEREAS, one such financial incentive program is the Florida Enterprise Zone Program, which was created in 1982 but will stand repealed effective December 31, 2015 pursuant to section 290.016, Florida Statutes; and
WHEREAS, on October 7, 2014, this Board adopted Resolution No. R-914-14, which urged the Florida Legislature to reauthorize the Florida Enterprise Zone Program; and
WHEREAS, on December 18, 2014, this Board identified the reauthorization of the Florida Enterprise Zone Program as one of its priorities for the 2015 state legislative session; and
WHEREAS, nevertheless, the Florida Legislature failed to reauthorize the Florida Enterprise Zone Program during the 2015 session, and as a result, there is no longer an opportunity to reauthorize the program before its repeal on December 31, 2015; and
WHEREAS, this Board recognizes the positive impact the Florida Enterprise Zone Program has had on economic development, particularly in Miami-Dade County, and supports the broader goal of the Florida Enterprise Zone Program in creating tax incentives for private sector businesses that invest and create jobs in economically distressed areas throughout the state; and
WHEREAS, this Board would like to urge the Florida Legislature to enact legislation to replace the Florida Enterprise Zone Program with a new financial incentive program that would encourage private sector businesses to locate or expand in areas identified as economically disadvantaged and in need of economic revitalization; and
WHEREAS, this Board further would like to preliminarily identify the passage of such legislation as one of Miami-Dade County�s critical priorities for the 2016 state legislative session,
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 to enact legislation to replace the Florida Enterprise Zone Program with a new financial incentive program that would encourage private sector businesses to locate or expand in areas identified as economically disadvantaged and in need of economic revitalization.
Section 2. Preliminarily identifies the passage of the legislation set forth in Section 1 above as a critical County priority for the 2016 state legislative session.
Section 3. Directs the Clerk of the Board to transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the Governor, Senate President, House Speaker, and the Chair and Members of the Miami-Dade State Legislative Delegation.
Section 4. Directs the County�s state lobbyists to advocate for the legislation set forth in Section 1 above, and authorizes and directs the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to include this item in the 2016 State Legislative Package when it is presented to the Board and to preliminarily identify this item as a critical priority when the Board determines priorities for the 2016 session as provided in Resolution No. R-764-13.