City Of Dunedin Honored With Home Rule Hero Award

From the City of Dunedin:

May 24, 2021

Dunedin, FL – The Florida League of Cities, the united voice for Florida’s municipal governments, recently recognized Mayor Julie Bujalski and Vice Mayor Jeff Gow with 2021 Home Rule Hero Awards for their hard work and advocacy efforts during the 2021 Legislative Session. Bujalski and Gow worked tirelessly throughout session to promote local voices making local choices, protect the Home Rule powers of Florida’s municipalities and advance the League’s legislative agenda.

“These local officials went above and beyond during the 2021 Legislative Session,” said FLC Director of Legislative Affairs Casey Cook. “They made an extraordinary effort, were actively engaged and highly effective in their advocacy efforts. Even with all the various challenges present this year due to the pandemic, they stepped up. They engaged with legislators, shared their stories and made their voices heard, and it made a difference. On behalf of the League and its legislative team, it’s my sincere honor to recognize this year’s award recipients and thank them for their service.”

Home Rule is the ability for a city to address local problems with local solutions with minimal state interference. Home Rule Hero Award recipients are local government officials, both elected and non-elected, who consistently responded to the League’s request to reach out to members of the legislature and help give a local perspective on an issue.

“The most precious power a city in Florida has is Home Rule – which allows city leaders and elected officials, through their charter, to govern in the best interest of our citizens,” said Mayor Julie Bujalski. “In 2021 there was proposed environmental legislation in the areas of clean, sustainable energy with potential negative impacts to cities like Dunedin which had made considerable advancements in renewable energy credits and incentives for green building practices. We will continue to advocate for Home Rule to make local decisions that benefit the local needs of our citizens.”

Founded in 1922, the Florida League of Cities is the united voice for Florida’s municipal governments. Its goals are to promote local self-government and serve the needs of Florida’s cities, which are formed and governed by their citizens. The League believes in “Local Voices Making Local Choices,” which focuses on the impact citizens and city leaders have in improving Florida’s communities. For more information, visit flcities.com.

This press release was produced by the City of Dunedin. The views expressed here are the author’s own.