Commission labels legislative priorities

The Longboat Key Town Commission has signed off on the following 2012-12 legislative priorities:

• Oppose legislation that erodes home-rule powers of local governments.

• Oppose legislation that pursues or allows oil drilling off the West Coast of Florida.

• Support state funding for beach nourishment.

• Support state authorization of other revenue sources beyond our present sources.

• Oppose shifting state budget shortfalls through cost shifts to local governments.

• Support property-tax reform that ensures any reforms establish a fair tax system for all taxpayers and preserves local governments’ ability to provide services.

• Support legislation to provide for the protection of seamgrasses in Sarasota Bay.

• Support state funding for research, control and mitigation of red tide.

• Support legislation to authorize governmental entities to utilize their publicly accessible websites for legally required advertisements and public notices in lieu of current requirements for notices to be placed in newspapers of daily circulation.

• Support legislation to require a registration program for banking institutions for foreclosed properties to provide contact information to maintain property standards and local code compliance within communities.

• Support legislation to address the composition of members on the board of trustees for municipal pension plans and to address pension plan priorities to allow for fiscal sustainability.

*The priorities are not listed in order of importance.