2026 state legislative priorities

2:13:13Okay. All in favor? Second it. Yeah. Yeah. And s the amended motion is seconded. All in favor, aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed? Okay. Passes three two. All right, we are on to P60. We're under, I mean R60, we're under Ralph.

2:13:34Well we got slipped is Ralph and then uh Is that it? Just Ralph's Yeah, Ralph and Russians.

2:13:46Good afternoon, Ralph Lear, Intergovernmental Affairs Officer. Uh so today we are going to finalize our 2026 state legislative priorities. uh based on the conversation you all had at the uh legislative workshop back in September and follow-up um meetings I've had with uh you all individually. Um We will now review and go through our policy and funding initiatives to move forward for

2:14:17the 2026 legislative session.

2:14:23So for policy initiatives, uh we're gonna go ahead and go with the fixed dissent bill one eighty. Um this is a hot topic for the whole state with municipalities and counties. Uh I also see that this will be adopted. uh by FAC at their November legislative uh conference when they will finalize their legislative agenda. Um the next issue inmate medical care. Um what this issue is is we we

2:14:53had our local bill, we ran into a snag again this year. We will not be moving forward with a local bill. However, there are other counties that wanted to try to address uh through a uh state bill to uh change uh the Agency for Health Care's rule which prevents currently Medicaid payments for anyone that's incarcerated. Um just so a little background information. Federal regulations allow Medicaid to be covered. But uh Florida doesn't exclusion, so we're gonna

2:15:23try to overwrite that and see if we can get that done. They have found a house sponsor, so we'll move forward with that one. Uh support for community care. All this one is saying is let's continue having the legislature fund those issues. Um it it does help our residents here in Pasco County. Um so we ask for the continued support there. Uh public records exemptions for misdemeanor probation staff.

2:15:47Ralph Casting was on that one. Um do we have is it possible that we can Uh you know you know how it is when people get arrested but not They're not charged with anyone that adjudicated that we have to pay for their medical will this fix that too or is that still a federal fix?

2:16:05That's still a federal.

2:16:06That is remote. We have to fix that.

2:16:10This is for Medicaid. This isn't for Medicare. This is our state health care that we provide. So this is what we're trying to amend and say, yes, we continue on. There are some states that opt out. You know, again, federal law allows us to continue. Uh our state opts out. We're gonna try to see if we can get 'em back in. Yeah. Um the next one, public records exemptions for misdemeanor uh probation staff. Don't uh we know that uh why there's a need for that where our uh those staff uh do get threats.

2:16:40Um we'll see how that plays out. Uh it has to have a sponsor. Um we haven't got a sponsor yet, but we'll see. It's also another state issue. There's other counties that are trying to do the same thing. So hopefully we'll get that done.

2:16:54Um Okay, I need to go back. Where is the um code enforcement?

2:17:01That's coming up.

2:17:02Oh, okay good.

2:17:05Uh next one is a regional issue. This is one that Pinell submitted before. This will be another FAC issue, support raising the 911 fee that currently is collected. Uh it's 40 cents per line and is no longer able to support the level of expenses in maintaining the 911 system throughout the state. So we're trying to get that raised again. Uh next one is another regional and state concern aro around the state's uh support indexing for local option fuel tax. Again, I see this as a fairness,

2:17:35uh, state table uh uh to do that. Uh we're trying to get that as well too on our local option tax uh to um bring those fees up so we can uh uh for the cost of construction. And then finally, support amending the law uh for pertaining to code and municipal uh code. This too will be also addressed by FAC uh at their November and I'm sure it's gonna pass as well. Madam Chairman

2:18:03Mariano One about indexing the gas tax? Yes. So we did we did the meeting with a legislative delegation and and Representative Steele made it very clear. We're not gonna do anything. That's going to increase any taxes on our citizens. So I think when you put that in there, you lose him, you might lose the others right away. I don't think it makes sense to throw that in there with with all the other things you're trying to do right now.

2:18:27Okay. Well we'll take it. We'll take that one off. If you want. But I mean what do you all want to do on that but everybody else? Your thoughts on that. So did you so The comments back at the uh the comments back uh from the uh legislators that attended were Де донсі резингс. uh at the state level. What this would require is them to raise that tax. Uh the local level.

2:18:56No it just requ it just starts it shifts the burden

2:18:59to your citizens. It does, right. What was that? Yeah. It shifts the burdens to the Pasco County taxpayers. 911 fees, not indexing fuel taxes, still come out of your general fund to cover those costs. This is smart. And these are users that can be out of state, especially on 911. Correct.

2:19:26Different things to cut property taxes. There's eight other proposals or ten other proposals on cutting property taxes. They want to cut taxes to try to throw this in there. When he told us very clearly he's not supporting anything that's gonna throw the burden on, I think it just hurts your argument for the other.

2:19:41But when they cut the s the property tax, they're gonna raise the sales tax. So they're gonna be raising the

2:19:46process.

2:19:50This was in front of him And he said very clearly, he's not gonna do it. So I gotta think the others are gonna be o going along the same way. I think you're just like making it harder to get the other things you're gonna try to get later. That's all.

2:20:02I hear you.

2:20:03What about in Penel did this go through in Penellas or no?

2:20:06Uh yes. It'll be part of their priority.

2:20:09This is part of the fact that I'm I mean I say we in in my opinion I say it's worth a try. I think we should work.

2:20:14Doesn't mean they're necessarily gonna file a bill and do that. It just says we support doing that. Yeah, right.

2:20:19If we're not covering our feet.

2:20:20And again the argument as as uh Mr. Kabala just stated Currently it's it's your constitut their constituents, your constituents that now have to foot that bill. Uh and again, fairness, the state has the indexing. We do not know.

2:20:34Let me say, if they if we don't have this and they get rid of product taxes, we're really I mean, we're just further on the hole. And

2:20:40especially if Penellis is doing it, I think, you know.

2:20:43Okay.

2:20:44We should try.

2:20:46The whole state's trying to get this done.

2:20:48It's so it's

2:20:48okay. I I just

2:20:49wanted to bring it up because it was a good point. Thank you. I like I'm supportive of your argument.

2:20:54Sometimes you have outliers. Yeah, just saying.

2:20:58So that'll be our um policy initiatives and then moving forward with our our um funding initiatives. Um

2:21:06Can I I wanna ask my board something. Um I wanna bring up you um third party inspections on policy initiatives. There's a lot of chatter online again about Um and I I heard the attorney general is investigating. Um a builder and it's a local builder and maybe it's more than one, I don't know. Um, but I know that in my district and in in in Bexley uh and and some others there was a builder who built houses. And they immediately got mowed. And as a matter of

2:21:36fact. We have a uh head of planning whose house got molded. And we could not interfere, intervene, we could do nothing because they used a third party inspector. And so um but you know what, we're getting the blame for it. Online. County Commissioner Yeah. He's getting the blame for it. And we had not we can't do anything. So I think that there needs to be some work done on third party inspections.

2:22:02Which is one of the issues that is on the FAC agenda and I think they approved at the meeting, so it will be adopted.

2:22:09Right. I had to leave before they went to

2:22:11the end.

2:22:12I I don't know if you guys know that. Um and I don't know if it's that

2:22:15discussion.

2:22:16Yeah, David Allen, if you want to explain that.

2:22:21Well, the problem is that they actually enhanced the ability to use third party inspectors in the last legislative session. They went the other way.

2:22:30Yeah.

2:22:30They said you could use them.

2:22:33yeah and and Chair Starkey and and board members the challenge with the the the private party inspections is that any disputes are uh referred to the state for resolution and and that's that's the the big challenge that we have.

2:22:49I don't disagree with you. I'm just saying that the the that where the legislature went last year was to keep them More things that they could do.

2:22:57Well, we're the ones getting the blame online, so letting you know that. Yeah. Okay.

2:23:03Okay, good move on to funding. Um we'll have One countywide issue, uh moving forward with the uh decon truck uh for new decontamination program truck uh for fire rescue, six hundred thousand dollars.

2:23:19We have two projects that will um be for the East Pasco side, the East Pasco Emergency Shelter and Community Center requests for $20 million. It's a $40 million project. We have a match of $20 million for that. And then the next project is the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center Enhancements. Uh requested amendments. Yes, ma'am.

2:23:42On that East Pasco Emergency Shelter and Community Center.

2:23:45Yes.

2:23:47Is this not something we're looking at getting some funds in another place? And that from

2:23:55Quite possibly. Yes. This is for the design though. This is

2:23:58not I don't think we can ask in another place if we're asking is that true? If we're asking here, can we ask in another place?

2:24:07And I'm assuming you're referring to if we were to pull it from the federal dollars of the C D G D R Um That might be a problem, but again it's design, it's not on the construction that we're we're seeking the short. I

2:24:20just want to make sure we're not shooting ourselves in the foot. That's that's all. We got

2:24:23open funding we can look at next year too, maybe. But

2:24:26not now those not not for the shelter. Yeah. Oh. Um I just wanna be sure we're not if we don't pass this year we'll go. I'm just you know what I mean? I get that. Um so we have to look at that.

2:24:40If it's if it's not approved, you're not supplanting it. I mean you can try different sources all the time. If we don't get the money, then he is correct. We can afford

2:24:47with

2:24:48it with asking for

2:24:49it.

2:24:52Can it be on both lists at one time?

2:24:54Uh until it's actually budgeted for, you don't have a supplanting issue. Yes.

2:24:58And Don't like using that word.

2:25:00I just I know this is important to you, Commissioner Oakley. And so I just wanna help support it.

2:25:08Porton to the east side of the county.

2:25:10Yeah. It's it's really important, you know, count east side of the county but county wide and also in the regional matter of uh the possibility of using it to help some folks in Pine Ellison and Hillsborough County. When we have a terrible storm they had to move out on the way out.

2:25:27No, I understand all that. I just don't want to jeopardize

2:25:31Yeah. All the funding sources have available. The problem is I don't think you get Two or two and three together, you're not gonna get both of them.

2:25:40So as we move forward we will look into that, just to address that. Uh the next one, as I said, Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center Enhancements. Uh we're asking twelve point five million dollars. Overall cost is twenty-five million dollars. Uh we do have a match of twelve point five million dollars on that one.

2:25:58Um so we do have a match on the East Pasco emergency shelter?

2:26:02No. On the shelter?

2:26:04Yes.

2:26:05On the shelter. Um You

2:26:07said we have a

2:26:08We have a match of twenty million dollars. That's already worked into W R E C Yeah.

2:26:13Rick.

2:26:17Under Keith Wiley. Correct Bart. Uh so Central Pasco uh projects, Range Hunt Boulevard extension. Um We're going in for design. Uh requested amount we're asking for is four point five million dollars. Uh total overall project cost is $129 million. Design cost is $11.8 million. We have a match of $7.3 million, so actually more that we're providing for that one. Next

2:26:47one is Shady Hills Um Road Sidewalk Project. We originally asked for the full amount of three point five, but we we were able to get a match of one point five million dollars from Penny. Uh so we're asking for two million dollars for that one. Sure.

2:27:01Yeah. Uh Ralph. Yes, sir. Please coordinate with um and go back and forth with Meg and Harding and the school boards wanting to partner up on Seemingly I need to get an update from Megan but help support number five. I don't know in what what capacity, but they're they're excited about this.

2:27:21I think once we have it uh finalized and we move forward and I can go to print, I will get with uh uh the school board and uh make sure they are aware it is one of our priorities and we have sponsors and uh have them when they're up in Tallahassee support it, you know.

2:27:41They will. Same Same way with P E D. C is also in support of the shelter project, just so you're aware.

2:27:49Moving on to the west side, we have seapine septic de sewer. Um We're it's a nine million dollar project. We're requesting uh $5 million so we're able to we have a $4 million match in there on the construction. And um our only water project that we have. So we'll have two transportation silo projects. um the two in the uh central. Uh this would be a water project. Uh then we have general government projects with the uh other three projects I discussed.

2:28:24And that concludes your legislative agenda. If you're good with that, I will, you know, go back in and um Check on that C D B D D R issue uh as we move forward. But again It's contingent upon. if we get the funds, as you brought up, Commissioner. Okay. Doesn't need a vote on

2:28:45this.

2:28:46Any other questions about

2:28:47this, guys?

2:28:48So I'll just move forward with our uh to go to print. It will be ready for the delegation meeting on November 10th, since we already had the workshop. Uh that can just be short and sweet. If I have it printed up, I will make sure that's distributed at the uh delegate me delegation meeting on the on the tenth. Um And now I if while I have the floor, I did want to uh talk about calendar issues and when we go up to uh lobby uh our issues so we

2:29:18can start planning for travel. Just this will be really quick. Um so session starts um Tuesday, January thirteenth, that's the second week of session. That following week, normally what we do FAC meets that following week on uh Wednesday, January 21st. Um, Commissioner Mariano, Commissioner Starkey, I'm assuming you will go up there for that. We've normally piggybacked off that. Recommendation from our our lobby team

2:29:48was we don't do that while we're competing with all those people. Um so we won't go up there at this point in time. time that does not stop you all going would will probably refrain from you can do pop ins, but we won't act set up actual meetings to discuss uh our priorities until a later date. That third week is Florida League of Cities. They go longer than one day. Uh they're there from Monday through Wednesday. Um they finalize on Wednesday, January 28th. That's

2:30:18now also the day of Tampa Bay Day. So we can go up and participate in the reception. Uh, that'll also be Hillsborough Day where they have the sandwiches down in the uh courtyard. Uh but again, not recommending that one. I recommend that we then go up the next week, Феброри, ферст в Феброі. You have a board meeting on February third. Um that will also be the day of the Greater Pasco Chamber, Pasco Day in Tallahassee. They've expanded the

2:30:48participants in that to the school board. to PHSC presidents committee. and one other group. So they will be up there for the day, uh and then doing the reception like they did last year.

2:31:01What

2:31:01what are you

2:31:02suggesting?

2:31:03So that's Tuesday, February third, but that's also a board meeting. But what I'm gonna suggest then is we then go up Wednesday. Wednesday, February fourth. Uh, we'd we'd be able to do some meetings in the afternoon. Uh and then all day Thursday, so say two nights, Wednesday, Thursday night, because we don't want to cram them all in. This is when we'll get not a longer delegation, the appropriations chairs, the speaker's office, the president's office. So they said to be more flexible if we could give them a full day.

2:31:33So give them the full day of February fifth if possible. possible. So that's what I'm gonna recommend. Wednesday February 4th drive up. What is Some uh meetings in the afternoon.

2:31:44What about you guys?

2:31:45No, fourth, fourth, fourth. Maybe a fourth.

2:31:49Well you do have a board meeting on the third time.

2:31:52Madam

2:31:52Chair. Yeah. So when I think about we talked last year with Tampe Day that was up there, three counties we've got working working relationships going with them. We've got one county that's putting up for the gas tax as well. I'm just wondering if we're not better aligned. with the regional group and trying to set up some regional meetings too.

2:32:10Hype. can I expand on that one. So w when I talk to people about trying to get like things approved and in front of their I say do everything while you're here because when you're in Tallahassee, they meet with so many people, it's fifteen minutes back to back and it's like speed dating. Sure. So they don't remember really anything you say. When they're when you're here and you have a captive audience, they write everything down. And in Tallahassee, it's just it's everything's a blur to them. It runs it, you

2:32:40know, they're 13, 14-hour days those days.

2:32:43And again, why I'm recommending this by then they'll have the the budget kind of hammered out. Uh they're looking at the uh going into conference February 27th, 28th, that weekend. So they can finalize it. So I think we'll get him at the right opportune time um where it's just us and there's uh I mean there'll be other people up there, but not like we're competing against other counties, League of City. Right.

2:33:11Uh again recommendations from our our lobby team as well. Madam Clerk

2:33:15so I and I agree with Commissioner Yeager about the when you're up there with that thing it's speed dating et cetera. It it's not something we're expecting them to remember. All our groundwork's gotta be done ahead of time and I think we've done some of that already by having this thing already getting it set up ahead of time, I think is good. That's the key. Frankly if every other legislator's got someone knocking on the door and they got signs out front they're posting social media here or there, we're giving them good exposure, I think. That shows they're meeting with their people and I th I think we're helping them in that regard.

2:33:46Do I think it helps with any particular issue? Absolutely not. But I think it's it's good to go up there when others are there. Well everybody was posting away, so

2:33:55I think but to Ralph's point I think it's quality, not quantity. Like we'd have more quality time in February the beginning

2:34:01of

2:34:01February.

2:34:02Yes, I I I'm for the beginning of February.

2:34:04Of February, yeah. I

2:34:06can't go. I I'm out of town the week before, the February uh the Tampa Day. Tampa Day

2:34:11Yeah, I get it. Okay, so that which is that the last week of January. So those who wanna come up, it's not, you know, and and participate. Uh we have not discussed. I'm assuming that they'll want us to try to uh help out with that and and offer like we did last year, um Mm. Sports Grove's uh beer and the uh kid the the kumquat pie. Um so I have to get with our tourism to see if we're able to do that again this year, um,

2:34:42to help with the reception. Uh, but um I mean again, that's up to you all if you all wanna participate and go forward. They really didn't have that discussion the other day at the Uh try Canada just say and the day it is.

2:34:56And I'm sure one of the lobby firms will host us and do something as well. Exactly.

2:35:01Exactly. So so again I think we're gonna get more Hate to say this, bang for a buck, if we go up on this awful geek, uh in February where there's not a lot of other local governments up there competing, uh, and we can get a little bit longer time.

2:35:20Yeah.

2:35:21So I will circle back then tomorrow with your staff. I will make sure we have that on the calendar and we try to get two day like reserve rooms for two nights.

2:35:30But I I want to talk about Washington.

2:35:32Okay.

2:35:32And I want us to be sure that we are also going to Washington. Um and we need, you know, to talk about a list of things that we want to do there. But listen, that's where big big money is and we need We need to visit with some, I think, transportation. Um, maybe Army Corps. I I just think we have to make the rounds up there too. Um HUD potentially. Um, have we been successful in uh trying to be able to use uh some

2:36:03money for uh EOC? And um That's the county administrator. Uh you know, where are we with that? Um we wanna talk about the inmate and Commissioner Oakley know this. Been working on this with NACO for a number of years. If you get arrested and you go to our jail, yeah, we pay all the bills. I mean We had Marco ready to work on that, but now he's not in that role. So we need to visit Ashley. and help her to um you know

2:36:31And I hear your point on that one. Um so so uh again I think as we're growing we are finding more issues that we are dealing with. When you though compare us to like a Pinellas, a Hillsborough, that have military bases. They're going up there a lot with the Pentagon, with military. We don't have those types of issues that they're dealing with. Um they have really big DOT projects that they've already been approved and are working on.

2:37:03Um but we are growing and we are seeing that. We did have that opportunity when we were uh in Washington on NACO to bring up going back to the point of do we have other funding sources for the shelter We are currently working on if they can get a budget passed, but they are still in in a uh a holding pattern up in Washington to go back in and change the universal notice on the funding we got. um which would allow us to use some of those

2:37:33dollars for the shelter.

2:37:36Or the EOC Center?

2:37:38Shelter.

2:37:39Shelter. Okay.

2:37:40Because currently they don't allow you to use it for the shelter.

2:37:44EOC was

2:37:45a

2:37:45different story.

2:37:45Yeah. So we're working on trying to get that language adjusted on there. But um We can work that out again as we we prepare for for NACO uh and maybe work around that week. Uh

2:37:59so when is NA when are we in Wash you know, it's when we're in Washington for NACO it's not necessarily maybe the best time. February

2:38:06twenty one, twenty. February twenty one. Yeah, the end of February.

2:38:08Okay. I just

2:38:09ruin twenty one twenty four is negative. Right. Legislative. Yeah, I never print that one out. So yeah, you're right. Okay, I gotta look at that.

2:38:15All right, I'm I just wanna plant that seed and that discussion.

2:38:18Appreciate that.

2:38:19Right? All right.

2:38:21Thank you.

2:38:21Thank you.