Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 01-08-13--regular — reading text

application for a State Revolving Fond loan, including assurances of financial capability to repay the loan. The City Manager is further authorized to execute any and all other necessary instruments in connection with obtaining the State Revolving Fund loan for this project. The City intends, in accordance with Florida law, that a portion of the water and sewer system net revenues, including connection fees, after payments of all prior and senior liens, may be pledged for the repayment of the loan. Section 3. Effective Date. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon approval by City Council and signature of the Mayor. Adopted 2012 / Mikee Anderson, on, Mayor Approved for form and legal Attest: sufficiency: il. GGL Ha < rd Dy City Spencer, City erk Attorney PacketfPg, 127  14. 3 City Council of Fort Walton Beach 0 To: CITY MANAGER MEMORANDUM Michael D. Beedie, City Manager From: Carole Jones, Executive Assistant Date: January 8, 2013 Subject: Consideration of Resolution Supporting Police & Fire Pension Reform ATTACHMENTS: FLC Police & Fite Pension Reform Advocacy Kit Alert( PDF) FLC Police & Fire Pension Reform Toolkit ( PDF) SIGNATURE BLOCK: Carole Jones Completed 01 /02/ 2013 429 PM Carole Jones Completed 01/ 02/ 2013 4: 29 PM City Manager Completed 01/ 02/ 20135: 20 PM City Council Pending Packet Pg, 128  14.3. a IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUESTED December 6, 2013 Police and Fire Pension Reform Advocacy Kit One of the top 2013 Legislative Priorities for the Florida League of Cities is Pension Reform for Local Police /Firefighter Plans. For us to be successful, we need cities to reach out to each member of the Florida Legislature and let them know the existing police /firefighter pension system is unsustainable and needs to be reformed. Attached is a Pension Reform Advocacy Kit for Florida Cities to use to communicate this position to members of the Florida Legislature. This Pension Reform Advocacy Kit contains sample resolutions cities can use to draft a resolution supporting pension reform. We need your city to adopt a resolution on this important issues as soon as possible so that we can demonstrate to the Legislature that this issue needs to be addressed during the 2013 legislative session. A link to the Pension Reform Advocacy Kit can be found on the FLC website at htti):// www.floridaleagueofcities. com/ News.asi) x? CNlD= 9419 Once adopted, please provide a copy of your city' s adopted resolution to: Speaker of the House The Honorable Will W. Weatherford Florida House of Representatives 420 The Capitol 402 S. Monroe Street Tallahassee, FL 32399 Senate President The Honorable Don Gaetz Florida Senate 409 The Capitol 404 S. Monroe Street Tallahassee, FL 32399 Please also provide a copy of your city' s adopted resolution to your House and Senate delegations. Follow the links below to find contact information for your House /Senate members. Packet Pg. 129  14. 3. a House of Representatives http / /www mvfloridahouse com/ Sections/ Representatives /representatives asi) x Senate httjp// www .fisenate. qov/ Senators / Please also provide a copy to: Allison Payne Florida League of Cities Fax: ( 850) 222- 3806 E -mail: apavne(iDflcities. com Should you have any questions, please contact Allison Payne at the League at 850 -701 -3602. Thank you for your continued advocacy efforts. Packet Pg. 130  I? PENSION REFORM ADVOCACY KIT FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES  14.3. b PENSION REFORM ADVOCACY KIT Dear League Member, State mandated pension benefits for local police and firefighters are hurting our ability to provide services to our local citizens. Tallahassee lawmakers insist on supporting union -driven initiatives that meddle in local pension and benefit negotiations. We must stand together to bring sensible fiscal reforms to local city police and firefighter pensions ...for the future of our communities and to secure our ability to provide fair compensation and benefits to future police and firefighters. In the coming weeks, the Florida League of Cities will develop a comprehensive legislative strategy that seeks to return common sense and sustainability to local pensions, and it starts with YOU. WEAREASKING YOU TO DO TWO THINGS: t. Please take the time - in the very nearfuture - to meet with your state legislative delegation and explain why these reforms are necessary for Florida' s future. 2. Encourageyour city to pass a resolution in support of real pension reform. We have included the following sample resolutions for your convenience: a short and long version specifically relating to chapters 175 and 185 F.S. (for police and fire pension plans), and a resolution dealing with the general topic of unfunded mandates. Ifyour city passes a resolution, please send a copy of it to your local legislative delegation and to Allison Payne at anavne @flcities.com. Thankyou. Packet P9. 132  14. 3. b PENSION REFORM ADVOCACY KIT KEY MESSAGES FOR LAWMAKERS When meeting with Florida lawmakers please stress the following points: We respect the work of our local police and firefighters. First and foremost, we respect, admire and appreciate our local police and firefighters. We also want them to have good salaries and sensible benefit packages for a long time to come. Union driven pension mandates are hurting our future. We care about the future and we care about our police and firefighters. If we are to have a sustainable future, state lawmakers must roll -back union -driven initiatives that force taxpayers to pay far more than negotiated wage and benefit packages. State required benefits help unions, hurt taxpayers. Local unions already have collective bargaining rights - let's respect those rights. The pro -union initiatives supported by state lawmakers undermine local contract negotiations, drive up costs and put upward pressures on taxes. Multiple Constitutional Amendments have hurt our ability to meet pension demands. Beginning with Amendment 1 in 2008, lawmakers have put a series of Amendments in our State Constitution that severely restrict local governments' ability to meet the rising pension demands forced upon us by those same lawmakers. Enough is enough! We need to work together to lower taxes, roll back union - mandated pension benefits, and bring fiscal common sense to local pension systems. We need to end state meddling in local decisions. Local pension plans are negotiated locally and are paid by local taxpayers, using local tax dollars. State lawmakers and local officials need to work together to end the state' s meddling in local affairs and find a way to bring sensible reform to union -driven pension demands that are unsustainable and unworkable. Packet Pg: 133  t4.3. b PENSION REFORM ADVOCACY KIT a KEY MESSAGES FOR THE PUBLIC Safeguarding local police and firefighter pensions is a critical issue for Florida' s 410 cities, towns and villages. Union driven police and firefighter pension mandates imposed on municipalities by past lawmakers in Tallahassee are driving costs up. Reversing state level police and fire union influence and past legislative meddling is required to safeguard local pensions, protect taxpayers and allow needed reforms. The current taxpayer- funded pension system is unstable, unsustainable and unreliable for future police officers and firefighters. The time has come to fix the system by implementing responsible reform that protects pensions for the future. The pension issue is incredibly complicated. It is important to communicate the concerns of Florida' s municipalities in a way that is easy for people to understand and framed appropriately to win the public policy debate. Under the umbrella "pension reform now" message, key supporting message elements include: Respect the work of police officers and firefighters - and protect taxpayers. Identify how the current pension system is unsustainable, unsound and subject to potential abuse. Identify the current problems exacerbated by state level police and fire union activities and actions by past legislatures. Support responsible reforms that stop pension abuse, protect pensions so they will be there for future generations of police officers and firefighters and safeguard taxpayer dollars. This messaging approach is supported by scientific research that shows when it comes to police and firefighter pensions, Floridians are most concerned by issues related to safeguarding tax dollars, reducing state level police and fire union influence with the state legislature, and preventing specific pension abuses, like the disability determination and those who retire and make a large sum of money at an early age. Research shows our most effective messages must communicate support for these key elements: Safeguarding tax dollars. Reducing state level police and fire union influence. Stopping