06-03-08 Item 41
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RESOLUTION NO.
A 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
WHEREAS, 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:
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a
Section 1. The City Commission of the City of South Miami endorses the health care
reform principles of the national AFL -CIO as outlined on the attached Exhibit A and made part of this
resolution.
Section 2. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon approval.
PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS DAY OF , 2008.
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
READ AND APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CITY ATTORNEY
W:Wy Documents\resolutions\Resolution AFL- CIO.Feliu.doc
APPROVED:
MAYOR
COMMISSION VOTE:
Mayor Feliu:
Vice Mayor Beasley:
Commissioner Wiscombe:
Commissioner Palmer:
Commissioner Beckman:
Exhibit A
AFL -CIO principles for health care reform adopted by the
Executive Council in March 2007:
• 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 and 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:
in America_ no one should go without health care.
The ta.et is that America isn't working the way it should. Middle -class living standards
are eroding, and working Americans need good jobs, the fi-eedorn to improve their lives
through unions and secure, high - quality health care. Rising, irrational health costs arc
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 Arnerican 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 private insurance: and
• Divides responsibility among employers. government and individuals.
In our cities and states, we see and hear from scores of the 47 million Americans who are
uninsured, as well as from those wr/h coverage who face rising co- payments, deductibles
and premiums year after year. And while we are working hard to identify solutions at the
state Icvcl, it's time —past time ---for a real national health care policy.
As r.leCLed leaders, we arc fighting every day to make America work the way it should
and to fight the erosion of middle -class living standards. We are fighting every day to
create and keep good jobs in our country. We are fighting every day to restore workers'
freedom to.join and form unions —which is the straightest path to the middle class. And
as the cyst of health care drags down our economy —for workers and businesses alike, we
will be fighting every day to help tix our broken health care system.
We hope you will stand with u,, —and more importantly, with workers around the
country—in the tight to make sure no American is forced to go without health care.
Sincerer ,