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Deana M. Perlmutter Joins Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C. Office

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Deana M. Perlmutter has joined the Government Section of Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C. office as Senior Policy Advisor in the Public Policy & Regulation Group. Previously, she was senior vice president of Dutko Worldwide in Denver.

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Environment: Alert - November 19, 2008

California has a growing body of legislation and case law addressing climate change, accompanied by the ongoing development of new regulatory programs to reduce GHG emissions. In late October, three agencies – the California Air Resources Board, the South Coast Air Quality Manage­ment District and San Diego County – issued draft guidance materials addressing CEQA significance thresholds for GHG. This represents an important step toward understanding the CEQA direction being considered by agencies with both the expertise and the legal mandate to address GHG emissions.

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Public Finance
Alert - September 19, 2008
 
In this Issue...
 
Florida Supreme Court Reverses Decision Regarding Referendum Approval for Tax Increment Financing
 
 September 19, 2008
 
Mark E. Raymond- West Palm Beach
Richard B. "Rick" Stephens- Lakeland
Edward W. "Ed" Vogel- Lakeland
Michael L. "Mike" Wiener- Lakeland

On September 6, 2007, the Florida Supreme Court held that under the Florida Constitution local governments must obtain referendum approval to issue bonds with a term of more than one year and that are secured by a pledge of tax increment revenues. Strand v. Escambia County, 32 Fla. L. Weekly S550a. The decision receded from 27 years of legal precedent that had previously interpreted the applicable constitutional provision.

On September 18, 2008, the Florida Supreme Court withdrew its previous opinions and issued a substitute opinion. The substitute opinion reverses the opinion delivered on September 6, 2007, and recognizes the long-standing holding in State v. Miami Beach Redevelopment Agency, 392 So. 2d 875 (Fla. 1980), which held that tax increment financing does not involve a pledge of ad valorem taxes and therefore referendum approval is not required under the Florida Constitution.

Click on the following links to view a copy of the opinion and order:

Opinion: http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/decisions/2008/sc06-1894.pdf

Order: http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/decisions/2008/sc06-1894order.pdf

For more information, contact:

Mark Raymond
561.650.8349
mark.raymond@hklaw.com

Rick Stephens
863.499.5351
rick.stephens@hklaw.com

Ed Vogel
863.499.5356
ed.vogel@hklaw.com

Michael Wiener
863.499.5362
michael.wiener@hklaw.com

toll free: 1.888.688.8500


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