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Commission outlines 2026 legislative priorities; adds school crossing guards, utility cleanup, and home‑rule concerns
Summary
Pembroke Pines commissioners directed staff to press a multi‑item legislative agenda for the 2026 session, including charter school legacy preference, removal of obsolete utility hardware, Howard Forman road funding, school crossing guard funding, and review of election funding practices.
At the Sept. 17 meeting the commission directed city administration and its lobbyists to pursue a package of legislative priorities for the 2026 Florida legislative session and to coordinate with the Broward County legislative delegation and the League of Cities.
City Manager Mike Dodge summarized three items the administration planned to seek: (1) a statutory amendment to permit a legacy preference for alumni at charter schools; (2) a statutory change to require utility service providers to remove obsolete and out‑of‑service utility hardware; and (3) a legislative request for $800,000 (of a proposed $2,000,000 phase 1) toward Howard Forman Service Campus road improvements, with an identified local match.
Commissioners added and discussed other priorities during a broad policy conversation. Commissioner Schwartz asked staff to add state funding for school crossing guards; staff agreed to include the request. Several commissioners expressed concern about proposals in Tallahassee that would reduce local taxing authority and emphasized home rule; one commissioner asked staff to pursue reform so municipalities would not be charged for county‑run election costs and for clearer, uniform rules on municipal election scheduling.
The city’s lobbyists (Ericks Consultants) said they would coordinate with the League of Cities and county partners and would monitor evolving legislation. Commissioners also asked staff to pursue conversations about how surtax revenues might be used for bond leverage; staff and counsel reported ongoing legal and bond‑counsel questions about the structure and pledged security for such bonds. The commission requested return briefings as the 2026 session approaches.
The commission’s direction establishes the city’s 2026 lobbying agenda and asks staff and contracted lobbyists to refine requests, prepare materials, and seek coalition support with county and League partners.
