Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Barbara Sharief
Department: County Commission
Information
Requested Action
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MOTION TO AUTHORIZE County Administrator to establish a program for taxicab and jitney drivers who are registered chauffeurs under Chapter 22½ of the Broward County Code of Ordinances to provide grants of up to $5,000 per chauffeur to mitigate documented financial losses arising from the COVID-19 public health emergency, utilizing funding provided to Broward County under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, to the extent legally permissible, with total program funding of up to $5,000,000; and to authorize the County Administrator to take any administrative and budgetary actions and execute any necessary agreements to effectuate the proposed program, subject to review by the Office of the County Attorney for legal sufficiency. (Commissioner Sharief)
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Why Action is Necessary
Required to authorize the County Administrator to take the referenced actions.
What Action Accomplishes
Authorizes the County Administrator to take the referenced actions.
Is this Action Goal Related
No
Previous Action Taken
Summary Explanation/Background
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“Rescue Act”) provides funds to local governments that may be used to respond to the public health emergency or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, and the provision of aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel, and hospitality. Broward County’s total allocation of Rescue Act funds is $379,304,234.
The United Drivers of Broward (“UDOB”) submitted a request for Rescue Act funding (Exhibit 1). UDOB indicates its membership includes more than 700 taxicab drivers from minority and immigrant communities. A survey conducted by UDOB indicated that more than 92% of taxicab drivers surveyed suffered a loss of more than 50% of their revenue for affected time periods as a result of COVID-19.
This agenda item, if approved, would authorize the County Administrator to utilize up to $5,000,000 in Rescue Act monies to provide monetary assistance of up to $5,000 per registered taxicab or jitney driver toward eligible financial losses during qualifying time periods prior to September 30, 2021. This item would authorize the County Administrator to take any necessary administrative and budgetary actions to establish and administer the referenced program and to execute any necessary funding agreements, subject to review for legal sufficiency by the Office of the County Attorney.
Source of Additional Information
Launa Carbonell, Chief of Staff to Commissioner Dr. Barbara Sharief, 954-357-7008
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
Funding would be provided solely from Rescue Act funds, if available. Fiscal impact is not determined at this time.