February 26, 2018

Tallahassee, Fla. – The Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) today released the following statement attributed to its President & CEO Tom Feeney regarding its opposition to amendments, recently filed by Representative Cord Byrd and Senator Aaron Bean, to Impact Fees legislation moving in the Florida House and Senate.

“AIF represents a wide variety of landowners, as well as business and economic development issues throughout the 67 counties of Florida. Consistent with state statutory growth management policy to encourage economic growth in counties that adopt sector plans, AIF has promoted provisions currently in SB 324 and HB 697, which among other matters, assure local governments don’t unreasonably extract property and taxes from landowners.

“AIF opposes any amendment to remove the protection of the rights of property owners from unreasonable county extractions on mandates by counties that now have or adopt sector plans in the future.

“After consulting with numerous interests that may be impacted by current or future sector plans, AIF requested that Legislators file proposals now included in SB 324 and HB 697. The language was publicly filed in the Senate on January 26 and debated three days later.

“Amendments by Representative Byrd, in the House, and Senator Bean, in the Senate, would have a chilling effect on future economic growth and job expansion throughout Florida, and AIF opposes any such efforts to remove property protections and economic growth incentives that are now in the bill.”

For more information on AIF, please visit AIF.com and follow @VoiceofFLBiz.

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