About Florida association of counties
The Florida Association of Counties (FAC) is a non-profit organization that has been serving the diverse interests of Florida's counties for over 85 years. The association helps counties effectively serve and represent Floridians by strengthening and preserving county home rule through advocacy, education, and collaboration.
Home rule is a concept that emphasizes the importance of communities and their local leaders making decisions that impact their community. The FAC recognizes this importance and works tirelessly to protect it. By advocating for policies that support home rule, the association ensures that local leaders have the power to make decisions on behalf of their constituents.
One of the primary ways in which FAC supports its mission is through advocacy efforts at both state and federal levels. The association works closely with lawmakers to ensure that legislation reflects the needs and priorities of Florida's counties. This includes advocating for funding for critical programs such as transportation infrastructure, public safety initiatives, environmental protection measures, healthcare services, economic development projects, among others.
In addition to advocacy efforts, FAC also provides educational resources to help county officials stay informed about important issues affecting their communities. Through conferences, workshops, webinars, publications like County Connections magazine or online resources like MyFloridaCounty.com - an online portal where citizens can access information about county government services - members can learn about best practices in areas such as budgeting & finance management; land use planning & zoning regulations; emergency management & disaster response; public health & safety initiatives; environmental protection measures among others.
Collaboration is another key component of FAC's work. By bringing together representatives from different counties across Florida – including elected officials from all levels (county commissioners), department heads (administrators), staff members or other stakeholders – they are able to share ideas on how best they can serve their constituents while also learning from each other’s experiences.
FAC has several committees dedicated to specific areas such as agriculture & natural resources; community affairs & human services; finance & taxation among others where members can participate in discussions related to these topics with experts in those fields or other stakeholders who share similar interests.
Overall FAC plays an essential role in ensuring that Florida's counties have a strong voice when it comes to decision-making at both state and federal levels. Through its advocacy efforts focused on protecting home rule principles while providing educational resources aimed at helping county officials stay informed about important issues affecting their communities along with fostering collaboration between different stakeholders within each county across Florida - they are able not only help strengthen but also preserve our democracy by empowering local leaders who know what’s best for their constituents!