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10-21-08 Item 61 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1.3 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA, SUPPORTING CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 8: LOCAL OPTION COMMUNITY COLLEGE FUNDING, AN INITIATIVE CONTAINED ON THE NOVEMBER 4, 2008 ELECTION BALLOT, AND URGING ALL ELECTORS TO SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL FUNDING FOR THEIR COMMUNITY COLLEGES; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, Amendment #8 proposes to strengthen educational and working opportunity through education; and WHEREAS, Amendment #8 offers an option for communities to demonstrate referendum support for their community college; and WHEREAS, Amendment #8 would, for the first time, grant community colleges constitutional standing; and WHEREAS, Amendment #8 will only authorize counties to place a local option sales tax referendum on the ballot, subject to voter approval and mandated to sunset after five years. Currently no mechanisms exist that allow a county to place a referendum on the ballot for voter approval of local revenues in support of its community college; and NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA THAT: Section 1. The foregoing is true and correct. Section 2. The City Commission supports Amendment #8, giving local voters a chance to support their community college and strengthen the community. Section 3. The City Commission hereby directs the City Clerk to forward a copy of this Resolution to a representative of the Friends of Miami -Dade College, the Chair of the Miami -Dade College Board of Trustees, the Miami -Dade County Board of County Commissioners and the Miami - Dade County Mayor. Section 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon approval. PASSED AND ADOPTED this 21St day of October, 2008. ATTEST: APPROVED: CITY CLERK READ AND APPROVED AS TO FORM: CITY ATTORNEY MAYOR Commission Vote: Mayor Feliu: Vice Mayor Beasley: Commissioner Wiscombe: Commissioner Palmer: Commissioner Beckman: RESOLUTION NO- 20)84.1 A RE,sOLLTrO, OF THE BOARD OF WFECTORS ()I< TIT A'OAMI -DARE COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITrES; EN,1, SUPPORTING CONSTITUTIONAL AMI >NDMENTi 8: LOCE I. OPTION COMMUNITY COLLEGE FUN IN-IN ;, All I IT'LATIN E CO'_\r'I'Al l`rrEA ON THE NOVEM[BER a, 20018 ELECTION B.-Lw r, AND URGI?NG ALL, ELECTORS TO SUI`POF:T EDUCATTONr FUNDING FOR THE' IiR COMMUNITY CC LLEGES. WHEREAS, Amendment. #8 proposes to strengthen educ tonal and -,vorltfni :e o.pporni%iiry trough education, WUREAS, Amendment #8 offers an - option for comaru unties to demonstv to refe.-endulrc siippoit for tlieir commtuiity_college .aad. -- �VMREAS, Amendment 0 would, for the fast tim:., grant :orn_in. nit-y ..alleges ,;oastitutional standing; and YVI- MREAS, Amendment #8 wilt only authorize co intie! to place a local )l tion sales iax r'eferenduin on the ballot.; stibiect to voter approval aud. ma_niated to sunset afi !r five, yem:, Currentl no mechanisms' exist that allow a county to place a r ferendum on the L allot for vet r 1pprova1 of local revenues in support of its community colle.ze. NOW, THERI FORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Directors of the Mia ni -Dade County Le s. -Ue of Lit ie:;, Section 1. The forogoing is tzue and correct. Section L The Board of Directors of the Miami -D ride County League of ( ities :supports Amendment #8, giving local voters a chance to support thei corn: naunity college and >treli lien - ttie Uuuutaiuuty- RESOLUTION NO, 20(-8-11 Section I The Executive Director of the Miami -Dade '-ouuty League of ;ities, Inc., is directed to fonvard a copy of thzs Resolution to a represnita? ve of the Friends t f MiaJ.r,i -na:�� College; the Chair of the Miami -Dade College Board of..n stees. the Miami -Dade C )uwy .T3r, d o. Count} Commissioners and the Miami -Dade County Mavoi . APPROVED AND ADOPTED by !he Board of Dir-�;tors Athe Miami -bade 'ounty T eager of Cities, 'Inc_ at vegular rrieetiz assembled this day >f September, 2008. A TT E'S r:. u -mom ( Secretary APP RD B. LE -NAK0 Cowtsel R1CHAK) STi`ELM3 — President. RESOLUTION NO. 2008-11 Background Information for Community Leaders What is Amendment 8 and what does it do? • Basically, Amendment 8 authorizes and empowers local communities with regard to the support of their community colleges. • A successful YES vote on Amendment 8 would grant permission to local communities, at a later date, to consider the question of local support for their community college. • If passed, a future referendum could be placed before the voters of any Florida county, giving them the choice to provide local support to their community college, supplementing state funding. Why can't communities offer a referendum now ?— — • Right now, if a local community wanted to hold a referendum about local funding for community colleges, that community would be prohibited from doing_so_..._Authorization is required and that is. what Amendment 8 would provide. Will a vote for Amendment 8 cost the voters any money? • No. Amendment 8 generates no revenues and costs voters not one cent. It simply grants permission to local communities to determine if, at some future date, they want to hold a referendum regarding local funding for community colleges. If Amendment 8 passes statewide and a local community wants to place a referendum before the voters at some future date, what type of funding would be proposed? • The Amendment authorizes counties to place only a local option sales tax referendum on the ballot, subject to voter approval and mandated to sunset after five years. Do other states provide local funding to their community colleges? • Yes. 29 states across the country provide a mix of revenue support to their community colleges. Many of the largest community college systems in Texas, California, New York, Illinois, North Carolina and others receive some form of municipal or county support in addition to state funding. Vital facts about today's workforce • Earning a bachelor's degree is worth $900,000 in lifetime earnings beyond a high school diploma; associate degree earns $400,000 beyond high school diploma. • Margaret Spellings, U.S. Secretary of Education, stated that "90% of jobs being created in U.S. today require post- secondary educaton." A college education is essential today. ..and about Florida's community colleges • More than 900,000 students statewide. The State University System enrolls just 300,000. • 28 colleges at 176 locations, stretching from the Panhandle to the Keys. • Programs stretch from basic skills and English remediation to critical workforce training, honors colleges, and associate and baccalaureate degrees. • Student of all ages, averaging 25 years of age. • 41% minorities; 50% are the first in their families to attend college. • 62% are part -time (working) students. • More than 67,000 degrees /certificates awarded annually. Page 1 of 1 Menendez, Maria M. From: HORACE G FELIU [HORACEFELIU @BELLSOUTH.NET] Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2008 4:30 PM To: Menendez, Maria M. Subject: FW: Miami Dade College (MDC) - Amendment 8 Attachments: MDCLCAmendment8 Resolution. pdf; Amendment 8 vital information.docx Maria, Please include the reso. At our next meeting. Thanks, - Horace From: Pena, Joe [mailto:jpenal @mdc.edu] Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 4:20 PM Subject: Miami Dade College (MDC) - Amendment 8 Dear Mayor: For your information and consideration, I am sending you a resolution approved by the Miami--Dade County_ League of Cities in support of Amendment 8 with the hope your city can do the same. If approved, Amendment 8 will provide local communities with a real voice in the future development of their community college. It will allow community colleges in Florida to seek a referendum on their local ballot, at a future date, for the voters to consider. It will also grant our community colleges the same opportunity that other bodies have to seek support from.the communities they serve. For Miami Dade College (MDC), the approval of this amendment will assist our efforts to provide a college education, essential in today's workforce, and allow us to keep the door of opportunity open for all those who seek advancement through higher education. For your perusal, I have attached a scanned copy of the League's resolution and informational literature on Amendment 8. Thank you for your consideration and please know that we appreciate all that you do in support of MDC! We look forward to hearing from you. Best regards, Joe Pena Director of Federal Relations Office of the President Miami Dade College 300 N.E. 2nd Avenue, Suite 1427 Miami, Florida 33132 office- 305 - 237 -3959 fax -- 305 - 237 -3109 Please Note: Due to Florida's very broad public records law, most written communications to or from College employees regarding business are public records, available to the public and media upon request. Therefore, this e-mail communication may be subject to public disclosure." 10/13/2008