House Bill 0647

    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                 HB 647

        By Representative K. Smith






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to counties; authorizing the

  3         Department of Community Affairs to establish a

  4         grant program to assist rural counties in

  5         financing studies regarding the establishment

  6         of multiple service taxing or benefit units;

  7         providing for rules; providing an effective

  8         date.

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10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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12         Section 1.  Establishment of multiple service taxing or

13  benefit units; grants to rural counties.--

14         (1)  As used in this section, "rural county" means a

15  county with a population of 75,000 or fewer persons,

16  determined pursuant to s. 186.901, Florida Statutes.

17         (2)  Subject to legislative appropriation, the

18  Department of Community Affairs shall establish a grant

19  program to assist any rural county in making a determination

20  whether to establish a multiple service taxing or benefit unit

21  as authorized by s. 125.01, Florida Statutes.  Under this

22  program, any rural county that is considering the

23  establishment of a multiple service taxing or benefit unit and

24  that wishes to conduct a study to determine the necessity for

25  and advisability of establishing such a unit may apply to the

26  department for a grant to assist in financing the study.  If

27  the application is approved by the department, the department

28  may award a grant to the county in an amount equal to 75

29  percent of the cost of the study, if the county agrees to

30  finance 25 percent of the cost of the study itself.  A copy of

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                 HB 647

    60-270-99






  1  the study shall be submitted to the department within 30 days

  2  after it is completed.

  3         (3)  The department shall establish an application form

  4  and application procedures and requirements by rule pursuant

  5  to chapter 120, Florida Statutes.

  6         Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

  7  law.

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10                          HOUSE SUMMARY

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      Authorizes the Department of Community Affairs to
12    establish a grant program to assist rural counties having
      a population of 75,000 or less in financing a study to
13    determine whether to establish a multiple service taxing
      or benefit unit.  A grant would be awarded to finance 75
14    percent of the cost of such a study, if the county agrees
      to pay for 25 percent of such cost.
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