R09-179
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I RESOLUTION NO. 09- 17<9
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3 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
4 BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, SUPPORTING TRI-RAIL;
5 PROVIDING FOR A SUGGESTED FUNDING MECHANISM;
6 PROVIDING FOR INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CITY CLERK;
7 PROVIDING FOR THE ADOPTION OF REPRESENTATIONS;;
8 AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
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10 WHEREAS, Tri-Rail provides passenger service for the residents of Miami-Dade,
II Broward and Palm Beach Counties, who account for 30% of the population of the State of
12 Florida; and
13 WHEREAS, the population in Miami-Dade. Broward and Palm Beach Counties has
14 increased 10% in ten years, while Tri-Rail ridership has increased by 77%; and
IS WHEREAS, Tri-Rail is recognized as the spine of the Miami-Dade, Broward and
16 Palm Beach Counties transit system, providing passenger commuter service from the
17 Mangonia Park Station (four miles north of West Palm Beach) to the Miami International
18 Airport Intermodel Center - a distance of 72 miles; and
19 WHEREAS, Tri-Rail connects to transit service to all three of Southeast Florida's
20 International Airports; and
21 WHEREAS, Tri-Rail riders have connecting service, throughout Miami-Dade,
22 Broward and Palm Beach Counties via the three counties bus systems and Metrorail to
23 Miami; and
24 WHEREAS, Tri-Rail provides pass<:nger stations in the cities of West Palm Beach,
25 Lake Worth, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach,
26 Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood, Opa-Locka and Hialeah; and
27 WHEREAS, these cities' future growths are dependent on transit oriented
28 development around its Tri-Rail Station; and
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I WHEREAS. two thousand businesses in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach
2 Counties participate in the Tri-Rail Employee Discount Program; and
3 WHEREAS, 75% of Tri-Rail riders are choice riders - i.e. they do not have to use
4 Tri-Rail but choose to use Tri-Rail; and
5 WHEREAS, almost every Tri-Rail rider takes a motor vehicle off the road, thereby
6 reducing traffic congestion, dependency on foreign oil and pollutants in the air; and
7 WHEREAS, Tri-Rail's success in reducing headways from I hour or more to 20
8 minutes in the busy morning and afternoon commuting hours has increased operating costs
9 faster than passenger fares can offset; and
]0 WHEREAS, Tri-Rail implemented a 25% across-the-board rider fare increase to
II otTset increased operating expenses related to double tracking and increasing weekday service
12 from 30 trains to 50 trains; and
13 WHEREAS, Mimi-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties have been forced to
14 reduce their voluntary extra subsidies to Tri-Rail on account of declining property tax
15 revenues; and
16 WHEREAS, Tri-Rail is in imminent danger of default; and
17 WHEREAS, Tri-Rail's default will severely disrupt transportation throughout Mimi-
18 Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties; and
19 WHEREAS, Tri-Rail's failure will result in the elimination of transit access to more
20 than 60,000 jobs, within II, mile of Tri-Rail stations; and
21 WHEREAS, Tri-Rail's failure will result in up to $26 billion in lost federal transit
22 funding statewide; and
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I II WHEREAS, Tri-Rail's failure will result in the loss of more than $60 billion in local
2 business sales statewide; and
3 WHEREAS, the State of Florida will be held responsible for repaying a $256 million
4 grant when Tri-Rail defaults.
5 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF
6 BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, THAT:
7 Section 1. The above referenced whereas clauses are incorporated herein by
8 reference.
9 Section 2. The City of Boynton Beach, Florida hereby calls upon the Honorable
10 Governor Charlie Crist, Florida Senate President, Jeff Atwater, and Florida Speaker of the
II House, Larry Cretul to call a special session of the Florida Legislature to enact funding
12 mechanisms earmarked for support of Tri-Rail, including a $2.00 per day rental car surcharge,
13 with the exception that such surcharge shall not apply to a person renting a car as a substitute
14 vehicle while such person's motor vehicle is down for maintenance or repair.
15 Section 3. The City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to provide a true copy
16 of this Resolution to the Honorable Governor Charlie Crist, Florida Senate President, Jeff
17 Atwater, and Florida Speaker of the House, Larry Cretul, the Florida League of Cities, the
18 Palm Beach County League of Cities and each of the several cities, towns and villages of
19 Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties.
20 Section 4. This resolution shall be effective immediately upon its passage and
21 adoption.
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I PASSED AND ADOPTED this ~ay of~, 2009.
2 CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA
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8 A/~~~
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10 Vice Mayor - Woodro~J H"y /
II L-d/~~
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14 Commissioner - Ronald Weiland
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20 ATTEST:
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22 Commissioner -Marlene Ro s
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27 (Corporate Seal)
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