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2001-24649 RESO RESOLUTION NO. 2001-24649 A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING THE CITY'S LIST OF EMERGENCY LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR PRESENTATION TO CONGRESS AND TO THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE THAT IS SCHEDULED FOR THE FALL OF 2001. WHEREAS, the tragic events of September 11, 2001 have created an environment of economic uncertainty throughout the United States; and WHEREAS, the City's State and Federal Legislative Teams have had conversations with and met with the the Administration relative to the City's needs; and WHEREAS, the City held an economic roundtable to discuss economic issues and needs with the business community; and WHEREAS, the City Administration has communicated with the City's representatives and members of Congress and the Florida Legislature; and WHEREAS, the City has accordingly formulated its emergency legislative priorities (attached hereto as Exhibit "An), NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the recommended emergency legislative priorities attached herto as Exhibit "An is approved. PASSED and ADOPTED this 17th day of October, 2001, t4 Mayor ATTEST: ~d' f~~ City Clerk APPROVED p.S TO FORM & lANGUAGE & FOR EXECUTION 10-tO-O( D('~'t,~ CITY OF MIAMI BEACH CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH FLORIDA 33139 COMMUNITY/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & HOUSING 305673-7260 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 305673-7]93 FAX 305673-7172 Miami Beach Proposed Economic Relief Package . A combined allocation of $250,000 from the City of Miami Beach and the Miami Beach Visitor Convention Authority towards the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau marketing campaign, . Extension of the due date for payment of occupational licenses from October 1 to December 1 with no late charges/penalties,' . Extension of the due date for payment of sidewalk cafe permits from October 1 to December 1 with no late charges/penalties,' . First hour is at no cost in all municipal parking garages until December 1,* . Free Electrowave Shuttle service after 9 p,m, until December 1,* . Extension of compliance times/deadlines for non-life safety and non-quality of life code violations, . The City has established a relationship with the Small Business Administration and the Small Business Development Center and will help facilitate local businesses' access to their services, . The Workforce Miami Beach One-Stop Career Center is available to assist dislocated workers, . Sponsor and produce a free Veterans Day benefit concert on the beach featuring *NSYNC on November 11, 2001, . The City is moving forward with a 5-year, $400 million capital improvement program, including $100 million of projects that will undergo construction in the next 12 months, . The City of Miami Beach's 24-hour Hotline (305-673-7400) is ongoing, . The City has increased the tourism promotion area of its website (hlto:/Ici.miami-beach,f],us) with information and contests, . The City is developing a package of additional relief proposals for presentation to the Florida Legislature and Congress, *The City Manager will have the authority to extend an additional 90 days as needed, TESTIMONY TO THE DADE DELEGATION OF THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE BY ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER CHRISTINA CUERVO OCTOBER 10, 2001 TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA Please let me take a moment to thank the members of the delegation, and its chair, Representative Gus Barreiro, for giving the City of Miami Beach the opportunity to address you on the economic state of the City, Miami Beach typifies the ultimate destination for tourist and business travelers and we, like the rest of the State, have experienced a precipitous drop in tourism. Thousands of people have lost their jobs - not just in tourism-related industries but more importantly - thousands more jobs are at risk in the coming months as the slowdown in consumer spending affects the economy. Fortunately the City of Miami Beach is in a sound fiscal condition with strong reserves and we are one step ahead with a $92 million bond issue that was approved in November 1999 which has been leveraged in large part with your help, into over $400 million of capital infrastructure improvements that will positively impact our economy over the next five years, Public safety remains a top priority for the City of Miami Beach, and while we coordinate all hazardous material calls with Miami-Dade County, we have established a Public Safety Task Force, chaired by Commissioner and former Fire Chief Luis Garcia, to assure a coordinated and holistic approach to address the challenges and threats that we face in a post 9-11 world. Obviously enhanced health safety is a priority, as was evidenced yesterday with a barrage of calls to our emergency centers. While Miami Beach has made great strides to diversify its industry base, attracting over $200 billion of new private investment in the retail, commercial, cultural and entertainment industries, the 9-11 incidents have made it ever so clear that we have largely a tourism dependent economy, For this reason, Miami Beach supports the funding request from state tourism promoters and Visit Florida to increase funding for local and regional marketing initiatives. Miami Beach is projecting a 20% reduction in tourism revenues that fund City tourist-related expenses. This represents a potential impact of $6 million to the City's budget, however, just like the State, the future is unclear. We do not have the most recent resort tax figures that I can quote you today, but a quick gauge, particularly in Miami Beach, is our parking revenue collections which in some areas were down 66% in September, but on a combined basis were down 25% for the month, If this trend continues, it could represent an additional monthly impact of $400,000 or $4-5 million per year to the City's budget. We have been tracking hotel occupancy levels daily. While immediately after the incidents hotels reflected 0-12% occupancy levels, 35% was the stabilized rate for September and Columbus Day weekend did give us hope with many hotels reporting in excess of 80% occupancy, The City has created its own economic stimulus package which includes enhanced Fire and Building Department services to accelerate building projects, deferral of business related fees, reduced transportation costs and parking at no cost for the first hour in City garages, a combined funding contribution of $250,000 towards the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau marketing campaign, and a City sponsored and produced free Veterans Day concert featuring N-SYNC on Sunday, November 11 with expected attendance of 150,000 - 250,000. We have listed five (5) items on how you can help us today: 1. Increase funding for workforce and unemployment programs. The Workforce Miami Beach One-Stop Career Center has experienced a 300% increase in activity, 2. Enhance funding of health-safety and public safety initiatives, 3, Increase funding for Visit Florida and grant money to local and regional partners for marketing purposes, 4, Recapture of lost tourist tax revenue that is allocated by the city for tourist related fixed expenses. 5. Increase the availability of relief money and services from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Small Business Administration (SBA) , and the Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), and assist the City in accessing these funds. Extend eligibility for these funds beyond only counties that have been officially designated as disaster areas, CITY OF MIAMI BEACH CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH. FLORIDA 33139 http:\\cLmiami-beach.fl.u5 COMMISSION MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor Nelsen O. Kasdin and Members of the City Commission DATE: October 17, 2001 FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez \, ,..~ City Manager O-.Y'() A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING THE CITY'S LIST OF EMERGENCY LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR PRESENTATION TO CONGRESS AND TO THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE THAT IS SCHEDULED FOR THE FALL OF 2001. SUBJECT: ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION: Adopt the Resolution. ANALYSIS: On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D. C. The effects of these attacks have extended far beyond ground zero, and have rippled throughout the nation's economy, with particularly adverse impacts to the tourism industry. The economic recovery of Miami Beach and the United States is dependent upon a partnership between the private sector and local, state and federal agencies. The City of Miami Beach has developed a proposed local economic relief package (attached) that, when combined with state and federal efforts, will provide greater relief to the City's businesses, visitors and the resident workforce. The Administration, in discussions with both the business community and the City's lobbying teams and legislators, has identified several areas where the State and Federal governments can assist both the national and local economies. These areas include, but are not limited to: Federal Corporate and personal Income Tax Incentives and an expansion of allowable business travel deductions. Extension of unemployment benefits AGENDA ITEM DATE !?7F ID-17 -(){ . Federal oversight or control of airline and airport security Payroll tax deferral and/or abatement Investment tax credits State Increased funding for workforce and unemployment programs Reviewing state mandated permitting deadlines and fees Corporate tax incentives Increased funding for state and local marketing efforts On October 10, 2001, Assistant City Manager Christina Cuervo traveled to Tallahassee to testify before the Dade Delegation regarding the local economic situation. A copy of her testimony is attached. The Administration has identified five (5) specific priorities for presentation to State and Federal Officials: 1. Increase funding for workforce and unemployment programs. The Workforce Miami Beach One-Stop Career Center has experienced a 300% increase in activity. 2, Enhance funding of health-safety and public safety initiatives. 3. Increase the funding for Visit Florida and grant money to local and regional partners for marketing purposes. 4, Recapture of lost tourist tax revenue that is allocated by the city for tourism related fixed expenses. 5, Increase the availability of relief money and services from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Small Business Administration (SBA) , and the Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), and assist the City in accessing these funds. Extend eligibility for these funds beyond only counties that have been officially designated as disaster areas. JMG~:kC Attachments (2) F:\DDHP\$ALL\KEVIN\LEGISLATIVE\STATE\2002 SESSION\2002 eM. DOC CITY OF MIAMI BEACH CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH. FLORIDA 33139 http:\\ci.miami-beach.fl.us COMMISSION MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor Neisen O. Kasdln and DATE: October 17, 2001 Members of the City Commission Jorge M. Gonzalez \. ,~/ City Manager U <t-^I- D SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION TO AGENDA ITEM R7F. FROM: SUBJECT: ANALYSIS: The Administration has developed a list of priorities for the Special Session that has been called by Governor Bush from October 22. 2001 to November 1, 2001. The Administration is recommending the addition of the following item to the five (5) items listed in Agenda Item R7F: 6) Retain all unencumbered State funds that have been granted or awarded by contract, annual allocation, grant or other award. The Administration has communicated with all City departments and is identifying all funds that fall into this category. These will be forwarded to the City's lobbyists prior to the beginning of Special Session on October 22. JMG:C~:kc \\CH2\VOL 1\DOHP\$ALL\KEVIN\LEGISLATIVE\STATE\2002 SESSIQN\SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION.DOC AGENDAITEM~_ DATE 10-17-0 I Exhibit 'A' Emergency Legislative Priorities 1. Increase funding for workforce and unemployment programs. The Workforce Miami Beach One-Stop Career Center has experienced a 300% increase in activity. 2. Enhance funding of health-safety and public safety initiatives. 3. Increase the funding for Visit Florida and grant money to local and regional partners for marketing purposes, 4, Recapture of lost tourist tax revenue that is allocated by the city for tourism promotion, 5. Increase the availability of relief money and services from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Small Business Administration (SBA), and the Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), and assist the City in accessing these funds. Extend eligibility for these funds beyond only counties that have been officially designated as disaster areas.