Escambia’s Top 20 Wish List Includes Molino Library, Septic Tank Regulations

October 19, 2011

Escambia County is set to approve a list of 2012 Legislative Requests Thursday night — a wish list that includes a half million dollars from the state for the new Molino Library and a policy stance on mandatory septic tank inspections.

Topping Escambia County’s Top 20  requests is support for a Congressional bill to funnel oil spill recovery funds to Escambia and other impacted counties for economic development, environmental damages and lost tourism revenues.

Number two on Escambia’s wish list is a half million dollar state grant for books and furnishings for the new Molino Branch Library (conceptual drawing above). Escambia County has applied for the grant for several years and has been ranked in to top three for the cash before, but for the last several years the Florida Legislature has not appropriated any funding for the state library construction grants.

“It is subject to funding by the Legislature. The resubmission was encouraged by State Division of Libraries who believes the legislature may provide some funding this year,” Escambia County Administrator Randy Oliver said . “This is a great opportunity to make a valuable resource better.”

http://www.northescambia.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/septictanks.jpg

The Legislative Requests list also includes opposition to regular mandatory septic tank inspections.  A requirement that septic tanks be inspected every five years at the owner’s expense technically became state law in July after being approved in the last legislative session. But language was inserted into a budget bill  that prohibits the Department of Health from spending a dime on the inspections without the approval of the Legislative Budget Commission — essentially putting the program on hold.

Escambia County’s complete 2012 Legislative Requests list, subject to approval by the county commission, is as follows:

1. Congressional SB 1400 – Support – Oil Spill impacted counties receiving funds to mitigate for Economic Development, Environmental Damages, and Tourism Lost Revenues.

2. Support – Library request for $500,000 allocation for Molino Library.

3. Support – DEP Administrative Hearing Process for Cease-and-desist Orders.

4. Support – Senator Gaetz’s bill, from last year, that allocated $30 Million ($10 per year) to area Economic Development.

5. Support – Amending the law for the Northwest Florida Corridor Authority to include all funding strategies.

6. FS 1013.30 – Oppose – Repealing existing State Statute requiring Universities to fund any and all off-campus infrastructure concurrency improvements (sidewalks, turning lanes, traffic signal, etc.).

7. SB; HB – Oppose – Legislation limiting the discretion of the first appearance judge, requiring written reports and certification of defendants for release and eliminating the presumption of release on on-monetary conditions.

8. Oppose – Any proposal to reallocate Transportation Trust Fund dollars; doing so will reduce Local Roadway and Transit Projects within the FDOT Five (5) Year Work Plan.

9. Support – 2012 Local Projects submittals for the
Transportation Reauthorization Bill (SAFETEA-LU):
• Project: I-10 Beulah Interchange/Beltway PD&E Study
• Project: Construction Funds – Nine Mile Road (US 90 Alt) 2-Lane to 4-Lane Project
• Project: Construction Funds – Creighton/Burgess Road Extension (SR 742) Four Lane Project

10. FS 343.80 – 343-89 – Support – Amending existing State Statute to include clear language to support the Regional Transportation Finance Authority (RTFA) concept providing optional funding strategies beside primarily toll facilities. This approach will reduce the gap between Transportation Funding needs and the existing Funding Revenues. Positive Impact is increasing the number annual roadway capacity projects, stimulating local economies with labor and professional jobs.

11. HB; SB – Support any Legislation offering roadway project priority incentives to any local agency offering a financial partnership with FDOT to improve capacity on state facilities. Positive Impact will encourage local agencies to adopt local tax or other measure to get more roadways funded.

12. HB; SB – Oppose any attempt that requires regular, mandatory inspections of septic tanks and/or the septic tank evaluation program.

13. HB; SB – Support efforts that allow governmental entities to use their public website for legally required advertisements and public notices in lieu of newspaper advertisements.

15. HB; SB – Support legislation which reduces medical expenditures to county detention facilities to 110 percent of the Medicare rate for all inmate medical care.

16. HB; SB – Oppose legislation that would weaken or dismantle Pre-Trial Service Programs resulting in significant jail population increases.

17. Support – Legislation to implement local funding incentives for partnerships on State Roadway Capacity Projects.

18. Support – Requesting that the Dedicated Affordable Housing Funds remain in the State Housing Trust Fund to assure continued funding for the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Affordable Housing Programs.

19. SB;HB – Oppose non-homestead associated cap.

20. SB.HB – Oppose Legislative or constitutional restriction on County authority to determine local tax burdens or financial commitments.

Comments

10 Responses to “Escambia’s Top 20 Wish List Includes Molino Library, Septic Tank Regulations”

  1. Ancel Pleasant on October 21st, 2011 1:52 pm

    Make A GameStop Out Of It

  2. pbare on October 20th, 2011 5:28 pm

    I thought that septic tank thing had been voted down?! Should have been paying more attention I guess. At $150 a pop, and sure to go up if it’s mandantory, it’s going to seriously impact my bottom line. I live alone and had my system inspected a few years ago. I see no reason to have it inspected, and my YARD DUG UP every five years. If it works, leave it alone. If it doesn’t work, then I’m the one who has to bear the responsibility to have it repaired. It won’t impact on anyones elses property so why is this a law. Sounds like Nephetism in it’s purest form.

  3. Lady on October 20th, 2011 10:36 am

    A few years back we had someone sit on a board that was not from Florida in Escambia County and proposed we have a law saying what we do with our land. We cannot give to our children and grandchildren a small parcel just to build a house but it has to be a certain amount. Why did our county fathers allow this to happen. Now people are afraid to buy a large tract of land unless they are proposing to farm, put a large business on it or something of that sort. We are living like third-world countries where the government is telling us what we can do with our land. There are a lot of people living in the north end of the county who wish they would be annexed into Alabama because they DO NOT HAVE HIGH AD VALOREM TAXES, CAN DEED ANY AMOUNT THEY WANT TO FAMILY OR OTHERS, DO NOT HAVE SEPTIC TANK INSPECTIONS AND MANY OTHER LAWS THAT WE HAVE JUST ACROSS THE STATE LINE IN FLORIDA. We do not have enough voters in the North end to elect anyone that would speak out for us and prevent these laws from being “crammed” down our throats. The people from Nine-Mile Road south don’t think about the Northern end of Escambia County when it comes to voting to help us get someone who will stand up for our rights. Let’s look at who we vote in and who will work for the NORTH end and not be bought out whereby we will be SOLD out and cannot do what we want with our hard-earned land and/or homes.

  4. creekbather on October 20th, 2011 9:20 am

    looks to me like,,, if everybody aint rich ,they can can leave,,,, and the ones that are ,, can buy youre estate and resale for profit. then the county can keep mismanaging funds, and spending as if they’re on some personal shopping spree.

  5. Jane on October 20th, 2011 6:33 am

    People who have septic tanks have enough sense to keep them working properly. We all know what happens when you don’t!! Get that septic tank law off the books! Email and write and call your repersentative! If you sit quietely by and let bad laws pass, then don’t complain about them! Everyone needs to be involved in government…how do you think Washington got into the mess it is in now… No one was paying attention to the things they were passing!

  6. 429SCJ on October 19th, 2011 6:13 pm

    Amen RMD. All we need now is a zombie apocalypse and we would have it all, as far as bad luck goes. But then of course Gov Scott could get a second term.

  7. lynn hoskins on October 19th, 2011 9:16 am

    What’s next? Come in the house to inspect that we are flushing properly????????

  8. lynn hoskins on October 19th, 2011 9:15 am

    I’m an adult and quite capable of taking care of my own septic tank! I really don’t need someone to tell me it has a problem! The lawmakers are in bed with the septic companies. If this ever comes to pass, there will be one more empty house in esc. County…I will move solely on principle. I moved HERE from Cali to get away from this kinda crap! Tennessee is looking better every day!

  9. rmd on October 19th, 2011 4:00 am

    what are they gona do if you dont have the money for septic tank inspection,send you to jail for slap you when a big fine? thats just away to make more money to fill someones pocket.alot of people are not gona go along with this idea.older people live on a fixed income and alot of us live from pay day to pay day.i can see why people are moving to other states to get out of fla;s rules.look at all the empty houses in escambia county.recession is here people.what is the county trying to do to us people?

  10. 429SCJ on October 19th, 2011 3:04 am

    If these idiots wish to continue snoozing in their ivory towers, they better scrap that septic tank extortion racket. or get ready to be voted out on to the street.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News