Monday, April 13, 2015

Florida INC. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg

Senate Bill 896 would shift the costs for moving utility lines on road and infrastructure projects from utility companies to taxpayers. Under current law, if a local government widens or improves a public road, the utility company must move or remove lines in the affected area at no cost to the government. SB 896 (and its companion in the House, HB 391) would shift that cost responsibility to the counties and municipalities — i.e. local taxpayers — for projects that are inside a public right-of-way and that are related to water and sewer improvements, stormwater/swale improvements, bicycle lanes, streetscapes, etc. here

"Corporate utility companies make large political contributions to legislators, while local governments cannot. The motivation behind virtually every bad bill can best be understood by following the money."
Robert Karl Hutchinson

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