Res. No. 085-08-12682A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA, RELATING TO HEALTH CARE; JOINING IN
A NATIONWIDE HEALTH CARE REFORM CAMPAIGN TO BUILD SUPPORT
FOR ENACTMENT OF FEDERAL LEGISLATION CONSISTENT WITH THE
PRINCIPLES FOR REFORM ADOPTED BY THE AFL-CIO EXECUTIVE
COUNCIL; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the standard of comprehensive, affordable health care coverage tied to work that
unions built over five decades is being eroded by rapidly rising health care costs; and
WHEREAS, children and pre-Medicare retirees are at high risk of losing employer-provided
health benefits; and
WHEREAS, health expenditures per person in the United States are twice those of the average
other industrialized nation; and
WHEREAS, a major factor in high U.S. health expenses is the exorbitant administrative fees
associated with private insurance, which average six times higher than administrative costs in Medicare;
and
WHEREAS, excessively high health care costs are putting private-sector employers that provide
good health benefits at a disadvantage to competitors both internationally and domestically; and
WHEREAS, excessive costs also are threatening the health benefits of public-sector workers;
and
WHEREAS, the ranks of uninsured Americans jumped 22 percent from 2000 to 2006 and now
number 47 million people, including 8.7 million children; and
WHEREAS, authoritative studies show that Americans receive the right care only half of the
time when we take ill; and
WHEREAS, people of color have lower coverage rates, higher mortality rates in many disease
categories and poorer quality of care overall; and
WHEREAS, women are less likely to be eligible for or able to afford their part of employer-
sponsored health care, and
ERE AS, the Executive Council of the national AFL-CIO voted to launch a renewed effort to
win comprehensive health care reform for all Americans at its August 2007 meeting; and
WHEREAS, the national AFL-CIO has called on all its affiliated bodies to support this effort by
joining in a nationwide health care reform campaign to build support for enactment of federal legislation
consistent with the principles for reform adopted by the Executive Council in March 2007, as outlined on
the attached Exhibit A and made part of this resolution.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA, THAT:
Pg. 2 of Res. No. 85-08-12682
Section 1. The City Commission of the City of South Miami endorses the health care
reform principles of the national AFL-CIO in an effort to win universal health care for all Americans.
Section 2. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon approval.
U10=1
ATTEST:
CLERK
WAMy DocumentsVesolufions\Resolution AFL-CIO.Feliu.doc
MAtOR
COMMISSION VOT 4-1
Mayor Feliu:
Yea
Vice Mayor Beasley:
Yea
Commissioner Wiscombe:
Yea
Commissioner Palmer:
Yea
Commissioner Beckman:
Nay
11 r! 11
FF 11111111111 1
VNIOU91-411-5411 rIFTIMMOM
Controls rising and irrational costs;
Provides comprehensive, high-quality health care to all;
Gives every family the opportunity and responsibility for preventive care;
Preserves the right to choose and use your own doctor;
Allows our government to play a strong role in restoring balance to the system —
curbing greed and incompetence mid ensuring more fairness and efficiency;
Lowers employer costs and, in return, asks them to pay their fair share, along with
government and individuals; and
Builds on what's best about American health care while drawing from what works
in other countries.
State and Local Elected Officials' Letter in
Support of Secure, High-Quality Health Care for
All by 2009
Dear Legislator:
hi America. 110 one Should go With0'Ut health rare.
The fact is that America isn't working the way it should. Middle-class living Standards
are eroding, and working Aniericarts need good jobs, the freedom to improve t1leir lives
through unions and secure, high - quality health care. Rising. Irrational health costs are
crippling families, companies and communities, while drug and insurance company
CEOs are raking in money as never before.
We urge YOU, to fight for and pass a unique Arricrican plan for health care we can count
on, a plan that:
Builds on what's best about American health care;
Controls costs,
Makes sure everyone gets high-quality health care as good as or better
than they have now:
Covers preventive care:
Lets people choose their own doctors and other providers:
Makes government the watchdog on costs, quality and fairness and offers
the choice of a public alternative to pn,vate insurance, and
Divides responsibility among employers. government and individuals.
Incur cities and states, we see and hear from scores of the 47 million Americans who are
uninsured, as well as from those with coverage who face rising co- payments, dodu.ctlbles
and premiums yearafter year. And while we are working hard to identify solutions at the
state level, it's time—past tine ---for a real national'bealtb care policy.
As elected lenders, we are fighting every day to make America work the way it should
and to fi -ght the erosion of middle-class living standards. - We are fighting every day to
create and keep good Jobs in our country. We are fighting
freedom to every day to restore workers`
and form unions — which Is the straightest path to the n)ldd)e class. And
as the cost of health care drags down 011r economy—for workers and businesses alike, we
will be fighting every day to help fl,,( our broken health care system.
We hope you will stand with us—and more importantly, with workers around the
country —in the fight to make sure no American is forced to go) without health CICIM
Sincerely,