LTC 491-2021 Town of Surfside Resolution No. 2021-2828MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
No. 491-2021
LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO:
FROM:
Mayor Dan Gelber and Members ~.C j ity Commission
Rafael E. Granado, City Clerk / 25 /
DATE: November 18, 2021
SUBJECT: TOWN OF SURFSIDE RESOLUTION NO. 2021-2828
Attached for your information is Resolution No. 2021-2828, adopted by the Mayor and Commission
of the Town of Surfside on November 9, 2021.
A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COMMISSION OF THE TOWN OF SURFSIDE,
FLORIDA, URGING THE FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION (PSC) TO
REJECT FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT'S (FPL) REQUEST FOR A BASE RATE
INCREASE AND RATE UNIFICATION, AND TO REJECT THE PROPOSED
MINIMUM MONTHLY CHARGE; PROVIDING FOR TRANSMITTAL; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
The Town Clerk of Surfside has requested that a copy of this Resolution be provided to the Miami
Beach Mayor and Commissioners.
If you have any questions, please contact the Office of the City Clerk at 305.673. 7 411.
REG/le
Attachment
F :\CLER\$ALL\LILIA\L TC's -Transmittal's\Surfside\Resolution 2021-2828 Town of Surfside.docx
RESOLUTION NO. 2021 2828
A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COMMISSION OF THE TOWN OF
SURFSIDE, FLORIDA, URGING THE FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICE
COMMISSION (PSC) TO REJECT FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT'S
(FPL) REQUEST FOR A BASE RATE INCREASE AND RATE
UNIFICATION, AND TO REJECT THE PROPOSED MINIMUM
MONTHLY CHARGE; PROVIDING FOR TRANSMITTAL; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, on March 12, 2021, Florida Power & Light Company ("FPL") filed a
Petition for Base Rate Increase and Rate Unification with the Florida Public Service Commission
(PSC)l; and
WHEREAS, on August 10, 2021, FPL, Citizens through the Office of Public Counsel,
Florida Retail Federation, Florida Industrial Power Users Group, and Southern Alliance for Clean
Energy filed a Joint Motion for Approval of Settlement Agreement for four years of pre-
approved rate increases totaling $1.53 billion; and
WHEREAS, if approved, it will be the largest utility rate increase in Florida's history and
FPL customers can expect to see their energy bill increase by more than $200 per year; and
WHEREAS, the timing of increased bills comes at a difficult time for many Floridians
who are still impacted by the fin~n~ial strains of the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, according#.2:a-.;Btu,m! . .by Sav.:.eOnEnergy, Florida _has the 14th .high~~::
monthly bill out of the SO states in the U.S. at $131.74, which is higher than the $123.29 monthly
average for the United States; cllld
WHEREAS, in additiol'!_ to the rate increase, FPL is proposing a $25 per month !"inimum
bill or charge -meaning that a customer's monthly utility bill will not ever be lower than the
minimum, even if the property ha$ solar and uses only a small amount, or none, of electtic_ity from
the utility; and
WHEREAS, minimum bills may unfairly target low energy users, such as part-time
residents, residents trying to age in place and, most importantly, solar customers who have made
large home improvement investments to cut their use of electricity generated by fossil fuels; and
Page 1 of 3
WHEREAS, in light of climate change, people should be encouraged to use less energy
and convert to renewable energy such as solar panels, yet FPL's proposals may have the opposite
effect; and
WHEREAS, the proposal to charge a flat base fee runs counter to the Legislature's fight
against climate change which is to encourage the development of solar energy in both residential
and commercial settings; and
WHEREAS, the FPL's proposed rate increase and minimum bill provision will only
increase financial burdens on many Floridians while making it harder for people to help fight
climate change by utilizing solar alternatives; and
WHEREAS, the Town Commission is in opposition to FPL's Petition for Base Rate
Increase and Rate Unification and any proposal for a minimum monthly charge.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE 10\\N~OFTHE TOWN OF
SURFSIDE, FLORIDA:
Section 1. Recitals Adopted. The foregoing recitals are hereby ratified and confirmed
as being true and correct and are hereby adopted.
Section 2. Urging PSC to Reiect Rate Increase and Minimum Charge . , The Town
Commission of the Town of Surfside hereby urge the Florida Public Service Commission to reject
or reduce Florida Power & Light's request to increase rates and to reject Florida Power & Light's
request to institute a $25 per month minimum bill or charge.
Se~tion 3. Transmittal of Resolution. The Town Clerk shall forw_ard~y_p.fthis
Resolution to Members· of the Florida Publtc-Service Commw·sion; Clerk .oftheFloridaPublic
Service Commission; Electronically file this resolution with the Clerk of the Florida Public
Service Commission; all mJmicipalities in.:.~iami-Dade County; the Florida Lea__gue of Cities; .:.:.
Miami-Dade County League of Cities;-and Miami-Dade County Board-of County ---
Commissioners.
Page 2 of 3
Sec!ion 4. Effective Date. This resolution will become effective immediately upon
adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED on this 9 th day of November, 2021 .
Motion By : -~C~o_m~m_i~ss~i~o1~1e~r_V_e~l~as~q-u~ez __ _
Second By: -~C=o=m=n=1i=ss=i=01=1e=r-=K=e=s~l ___ _
FINAL VOTE ON ADOPTION:
Commissioner Charles Kesl =Y~es~_
Commissioner Eliana R. Salzhauer =Y~es~_
Commissioner Nelly Velasquez _Y_es __
Vice Mayor Tina Paul
Mayor Charles W. Burkett
Yes
Yes
ED AS TO FORM AND LEGAL SUFFICIENCY:
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