Legislative priorities

Equitable Taxation

The League supports tax legislation which does not jeopardize local service, addresses infrastructure deficits and removes unfair tax exemptions which affect governments’ ability to serve citizens.

It’s expected the League will once again be in opposition to the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR), although the bill has yet to be filed. Other legislation has been filed which the League is monitoring including a review of sales tax exemptions, applying the sales tax to Internet sales and requiring multi-state corporations to pay corporate income tax on profits made in Florida. Governor Crist has also proposed reducing the corporate income tax.

Redistricting Reform

The League supports single-member election districts that are equal in population, that provide access for minorities, are compact and, when possible, take local characteristics such as political and geographical boundaries into consideration.

Committees in both Houses have been meeting to discuss the 2012 cycle of redistricting and the possible effect amendments 5 and 6 would have on the process

Citizen Initiatives

For the past four sessions, the League has fought against passage of new restrictions on the citizens’ initiative process. As bills addressing citizen initiatives arise; the League will oppose bills that increase the moneyed interests’ strangle-hold on the initiative process and the legislative process and, where appropriate, advance the idea of a citizen statutory initiative.

Elections

The League supports legislation that promotes stricter election audits and would give the Supervisors of Elections more flexibility in selecting early voting sites. Several bills have already been filed regarding the early voting issue including SB 828, SB256 and HB 57.Secretary of State Kurt Browning has told the League he is not supporting an expansion of early voting this year.

Education: Priorities are Funding, Accountability and Civic Education

Civic Education

The League is supporting HB 105 and Senate Bill 1096, which would create the “Justice Sandra Day O’Conner Civics Education Act.” It would require an end-of-the year test on civic education at the middle school level.

Social Policy: Priority is Health Care

Health Care Reform:

The League will continue to work with a coalition of organizations including the Florida Public Interest Research group to promote a health care system that provides access to a basic level of quality care for all Florida residents and controls health care costs.