Title
RESOLUTION NO. 19R-11-263: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LAUDERHILL, FLORIDA ENCOURAGING MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO APPROPRIATELY FUND AND PASS SENATE BILL 362 AND HOUSE BILL 213 TO REAUTHORIZE VISIT FLORIDA FOR AN ADDITIONAL EIGHT (8) YEARS; PROVIDING FOR FINDINGS; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE (REQUESTED BY MAYOR KEN THURSTON).
Body
Request Action:
Pass a Resoluton to encouraging the Florida Legislature to fund a pass SB 362 and HB 213 to reauthorize Visit Florida for an additional 8 years.
Need:
To support legislature to extend the Visit Florida program for an additional 8 years.
Summary Explanation/ Background:
VISIT FLORIDA is invaluable to our state’s economy and its taxpayers. Right now, VISIT FLORIDA is only authorized to exist until July 1, 2020. However, bills have been filed in both the House and Senate to reauthorize VISIT FLORIDA for an additional eight years - SB 362 by Senator Ed Hooper and HB 213 by Representative Mel Ponder. If the Legislature does not affirmatively pass legislation this session to reauthorize VISIT FLORIDA, the organization will cease to exist and Florida’s tourism industry will go silent on the national and international stage. Florida’s tourism community needs to speak up and let the Florida Legislature know that ending VISIT FLORIDA is not a risk worth taking. VISIT FLORIDA is a public-private partnership established by the Florida Legislature in 1996 to promote and market Florida as a destination to travelers. VISIT FLORIDA’s budget comes from publicly allocated tax dollars. VISIT FLORIDA is required to match the public funds dollar-for-dollar, which is done by actively recruiting the state's tourism industry to invest as partners through cooperative promotion of local Florida destinations and the state. Through a variety of partnerships with more than 13,000 businesses across the state, VISIT FLORIDA’s programs promote Florida destinations small and large, rural and urban in all of the state’s 67 countries. VISIT FLORIDA has been an undeniable success. According to the Office of Economic & Demographic Research, for every public dollar invested in VISIT FLORIDA, $2.15 is returned totaxpayers. Because of VISIT FLORIDA’s promotion efforts, the Florida tourism industry supports 1.5 million jobs and in 2017, contributed $85.9 billion to Florida's economy. VISIT FLORIDA Funding for the past five years, VISIT FLORIDA was funded at approximately $76 million, leading to record-breaking visitation numbers and tourism contributions to Florida’s economy. This fiscal year, VISIT FLORIDA was funded at 50 million, a 34.2 percent decrease from the previous year and just 0.055 percent of the state budget. The current authorization of VISIT FLORIDA only runs until July 1, 2020. The uncertainty created puts the strong private-public model which has fueled the success of Florida’s largest industry at risk. According to the U.S. Travel Association, with a just a two percent reduction in travel, Florida stands to LOSE $2 BILLION in travel spending, more than 18,000, and $139 million in state and local tax revenue.
Attachments:
Numerous backup informative documents
Cost Summary/ Fiscal Impact:
None.
Estimated Time for Presentation:
Master Plan:
Goal 1: Clean, Green Sustainable Environment
[ ] Increase mass transit ridership [ ] Reduce City energy consumption
[ ] Reduce water consumption
Goal 2: Safe and Secure City of Lauderhill
[ ] Crime in lower 50% in Broward [ ] Residents feel safe in neighborhood
[ ] Reduce emergency fatalities
Goal 3: Open Spaces and Active Lifestyle for all ages
[ ] Increase participation in youth sports [ ] Add new park land and amenities
[ ] Increase attendance at cultural programs and classes
Goal 4: Growing Local Economy, Employment and Quality of Commercial Areas
[ ] Increase commercial tax base [ ] Increase employment in Lauderhill businesses
[ ] Decrease noxious and blighted uses in commercial areas
Goal 5: Quality Housing at all Price Ranges and Attractive Communities
[ ] Neighborhood signs and active HOAs [ ] Housing & streets improved, litter reduced
[ ] Increase proportion of single family homes and owner occupied housing
Goal 6: Efficient and Effective City Government, Customer Focused & Values Diversity
[ ] Improves City efficiency [ ] Increase use of Information Technology
[ ] Increases residents perception of Lauderhill as an excellent place to live