Keep local control of RESTORE Act funds in oil spill affected counties! - Updated

  Amendment to Amendment filed late April 22 would keep funds intended for counties under country control:

 http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2013/1024/Amendment/699348/PDF

 *************************************************

Rick Scott and the Republican-led Florida Legislature are attempting to wrest control of RESTORE Act funds from the local counties impacted by the oil spill.

Your help is needed to stop them!

Late Friday an amendment was introduced to SB 1024, which basically takes control of RESTORE Act funds away from the 8 disproportionately affected counties which was part of their portion of Pot #1 (Local) and puts it under the control of the State. It does not affect the other portion of Pot #1 going to the other 15 affected counties. It does not affect Pot #3, the Gulf Consortium Pot. 

This weekend and today, Wakulla County administration has been working very hard to get additional information and a strategy for stopping this amendment. 

We need your help in making phone calls and sending e-mails to the House Appropriations Committee and the Panhandle Legislative delegation against the amendment that takes control of RESTORE Act funds coming to Wakulla County. Please contact members of the Senate and House Appropriation committees, and the Panhandle Legislative Delegation - let them know that this is NOT okay.

Panhandle Legislative Delegation

 

County	US Representative		Florida Senator		Florida Representative
Bay	Southerland		Gaetz		Coley Patronis
Calhoun	Southerland		Montford		Beshears
Escambia	Miller		Evers		Ford Ingram
Franklin	Southerland		Montford		Beshers
Gadsden	Southerland		Montford		Beshears
Gulf	Southerland		Montford		Beshears
Hamilton			Montford
Holmes	Miller Southerland		Montford		Coley
Jackson	Southerland		Montford		Coley
Jefferson	Southerland		Montford		Beshears
Leon	Southerland		Montford		Beshears Rehwinkel-Vaslinda Williams
Liberty	Southerland		Montford		Beshears
Madison	Southerland		Montford		Beshears
Okaloosa	Miller		Gaetz Evers		Broxson Gaetz
Santa Rosa	Miller		Evers		Broxson Ford
Taylor	Southerland		Montford		Beshears
Wakulla	Southerland		Montford		Beshears
Walton	Miller		Gaetz		Coley
Washington	Southerland		Gaetz		Coley
CONTACT INFORMATION
Senator Bill Nelson 850-942-8514 Senator Don Gaetz 212 SOB/409 Capitol 850-487-5001/850-487-5229 Senator Greg Evers 308 SOB 850-487-5002 Senator Bill Montford 214 SOB 850-487-5003 Rep.Halsey Beshears 1102 Capitol 850-717-5007		Congressman Southerland 850-785-0812     Rep. Doug Broxson 400 HOB 850-717-5003 Rep. Marti Coley 418 Capitol 850—717-5005 Rep. Clay Ford 303 HOB 850-717-5002 Rep. Matt Gaetz 417 HOB 850-717-5004		Congressman Jeff Miller 850-479-1183 Rep. Clay Ingram 222 Capitol 850-717-5001 Rep. Jimmy Patronis 204 HOB 850-717-5006 Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel-Vaslinda 1001 Capitol 850-717-5009 Rep. Alan B. Williams 1001 Capitol 850-717-5008

 B.P. Oil Amendment to SB 1024

A strike-all amendment to SB 1024 attempts to remove the eight disproportionately affected counties and replaces them with a quasi-public corporation in setting priorities for the expenditure of federal RESTORE Act dollars for repairing damages caused by the B.P. Oil spill.  The amendment also directs most of the funds recovered by the Florida Attorney General to the quasi-public corporation. 

The RESTORE Act directs that the 23 Gulf Coast Counties receive a portion of the civil fines resulting from the DeepWater Horizon disaster, with eight counties that were disproportionately affected receiving the lion's share.  The eight disproportionately affected counties are:  Escambia, Bay, Santa
Rosa, Walton, Okaloosa, Gulf, Franklin, and Wakulla.    

The RESTORE Act says that 75 percent of the funds shall flow “directly” to the eight counties, as follows: 

(C) Coastal political subdivisions (i) Distribution In the case of a State where the
coastal zone includes the entire State—
(I) 75 percent of funding shall be provided directly to
the 8 disproportionately affected counties impacted by
the Deepwater Horizon oil spill; and
(II) 25 percent shall be provided directly to
nondisproportionately impacted counties within the
State.
 

 
The amendment attempts to overrule the federal law and redirect the 75 percent funds to a quasi-private corporation created by the amendment.  The Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., will be governed by a five person board of directors, one each appointed by the Governor, the Attorney General, the Chief
Financial Officer, the Speaker and the President.  The Board must hire three individuals specifically described in the bill to include a CPA, an economist and a lawyer.  Projects funded with RESTORE Act funds are determined by the Board, not the elected officials from the counties.   

The amendment sets criteria for projects, focusing on economic issues including tax relief and not on environmental issues.  The non-elected Board chooses the projects.   

The amendment to SB 1024 is on the Senate Appropriations agenda set for 9:00 am Tuesday in 412
Knott.

Page 74 of the proposed legislation:

288.80 Short title.—Sections 288.80-288.84 may be cited as  2108
the “Gulf Coast Economic Corridor Act.”  

2109
Section 51. Section 288.801, Florida Statutes, is created  

2110
to read:  

2111
288.801 Gulf Coast Economic Corridor, Legislative Intent.— 2112
The Legislature recognizes that fully supporting areas affected  2113 by the Deepwater Horizon disaster to ensure goals for economic  

2114
recovery and diversification are achieved is in the best  

2115
interest of the citizens of the state. The Legislature intends  

2116
to provide a long-term source of funding for efforts of economic  2117
recovery and enhancement in the gulf coast region. The  

2118
Legislature finds that it is important to help businesses,  

2119
individuals, and local governments in the Gulf Coast region  2120 

To track on the Florida Senate website:

http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2013/1024