Lady Lake leaders are sending a message to Tallahassee about the state government’s efforts to take authority away from local officials.
Several bills have been filed in the current legislative session that, if passed, would restrict the ability of municipalities to address issues of public concern at the local level.
State Rep. Brett Hage, R-Oxford, is co-sponsoring legislation that would restrict the ability of local government to raise impact fees. Hage’s bill has become controversial in neighboring Sumter County where commissioners recently voted to raise impact fees.
Lady Lake Mayor Ruth Kussard recently received an email from Florida League of Mayors President Terrill Hill, mayor of Palatka, seeking support of a resolution urging “all members of the Florida Legislature to oppose unwarranted or overly broad preemptions of the municipal home rule powers.”
The League of Mayors warns that a number of the bills would “under cut the intent of the citizens of every municipality in Florida, who voted to incorporate their community and exercise the broad Home Rule powers granted by the Florida Constitution to govern themselves and, thereby, effectively address the unique concerns of their community.”
Kussard is sounding the call about a dangerous trend in which Tallahassee wants to take control away from the local level.
“This is where the residents come when they have a problem. They don’t go to Tallahassee,” she said.
The mayor and other commissioners have vowed to support the Florida League of Mayors in its effort to curb state government’s taking control from local officials. Commissioners have unanimously agreed to support the resolution put forth by the Florida League of Mayors.
