Proposed Florida law could allow voters to dissolve LDDA and Citrus Connection

Sara-Megan Walsh, Lakeland Ledger
·4 min read
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Attendees stroll along North Kentucky Avenue a First Friday event in downtown Lakeland. The Lakeland Downtown Development Authority puts on First Friday events and others like the Saturday Curb Market, and advocates for downtown businesses. But a new bill in the Florida Legislature could force such special districts to go before voters every 10 years for reapproval.

LAKELAND — A proposed Florida House bill would give local voters the opportunity to dissolve independent special districts that levy taxes, possibly including the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority and Citrus Connection.

Florida House Bill 7013 proposes changes that would overhaul the rules governing independent special districts. It was filed by Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers, in December.

Under the bill, independent special districts with the power to levy property taxes would need to seek reapproval from voters every 10 years through a ballot initiative.

If a special district were not to be reapproved by voters, under the proposed bill, it would have 90 days to adopt a plan to dissolve, with a provision to liquidate all of the district's assets, pay off any debts and ensure continuity of any public services it provided.

The proposed changes also would create a 12-year term limit for elected board members of special districts.

David Ramba, executive director of the Florida Association of Special Districts, said the legislation could impact roughly 120 special districts across the state. This includes various fire departments, emergency medical services, seaports, transit agencies and downtown development agencies.

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Currently, the proposed bill provides exemptions to Florida's five regional water management districts, community development districts and inland navigation districts that oversee intracoastal waterways and larger bodies of water.

The Florida Department of Commerce lists three independent special districts with the power to levy taxes in Polk County. One is the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority. The other two are the Lakeland Area Mass Transit District and Polk Transit Authority, which combined are known as Citrus Connection.

"We are not the target of this, we are getting folded into it," LDDA's Executive Director Julie Townsend said. "That's not how you legislate. You need to focus on the things you don't like, not broad sweeping legislation that harms communities with unintended consequences."

The LDDA, founded in July 1977, is perhaps best known for organizing Lakeland's Downtown Farmers Curb Market, First Fridays, Night Markets and Tasty Tuesdays.

"We do so much more than events," Townsend said. "We do advocacy and work with city departments to improve services to the downtown area."

LDDA's annual budget pays for the Squeeze, offering a local circulator transportation within the downtown area, and provides beautification services across the downtown area.

Julie Townsend, executive director of Lakeland Downtown Development Authority.
Julie Townsend, executive director of Lakeland Downtown Development Authority.

"We are a valuable player in the bridge between downtown businesses and City Hall in terms of advocating for their businesses and rights when issues could negatively impact them or have unintended consequences," Townsend said.

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In a Jan. 10 email to LDDA's board of directors, Townsend said the proposed legislation is "unnecessary" as the special district was created by the Legislature's special act, and can be modified or dissolved by an act of the legislature already.

Townsend said she's concerned a 10-year approval cycle will hamper the ability to do any long-range planning, make or finance long-term purchases and attract talented employees to these districts.

Tom Phillips, general manager of Citrus Connection, said his transit agency is aware of the legislation.

"We realize there’s a high likelihood we may be impacted and researching the issue diligently," he said.

Lakeland Mayor Bill Mutz said he was approached by LDDA for a letter of support and received a thumbs up vote from the City Commission to draft a letter to Polk County's legislative delegation.

"It's one more toenail cut at the local level," Mutz said. "It's homerule being invaded."

The proposed legislation is scheduled go before the Ways and Means Committee next week, according to Ramba, where its financial impacts will be considered. Ramba said he is hopeful that the most controversial provision of the bill, the 10-year reauthorization of special districts, will be removed.

Townsend said several DDAs across the state are planning to visit Tallahassee on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 to meet with legislators and discuss the bill.

"We're just a little district, and we're getting caught up in the big net," she said.

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on X @SaraWalshFl.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Florida bill would put districts like LDDA, Polk transit on ballot