The Florida Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council (MPOAC) is a statewide transportation planning and policy organization created by the Florida Legislature pursuant to Section 339.175(11), Florida Statutes.
Why this group is important: The MPOAC assists local transportation planning organizations in carrying out the urbanized area transportation planning process by serving as the principal forum for collective policy discussion.
Local impact: The MPOAC endorses state legislation which can impact local transportation issues. Also, the current Governing Board Chair is Leon County Commissioner Nick Maddox.
State legislation: Listed below are the top legislative priorities endorsed by MPOAC.
1. Encourages legislators to explore other options for sources of revenue. These include (1) expanding the Charter County and Regional Transportation System so all counties in MPO areas can enact up to a one cent local option surtax by referendum and (2) identifying ways to replace revenue for the current motor fuels tax, which can no longer support the needs of the transportation system.
2. Supports laws that regulates distracted driving as a primary offense by prohibiting use of handheld electronic wireless communications devices and other distracting devices while operating a moving motor vehicle.
3. Supports funding to 2007 levels for the Transportation Regional Incentive Program (TRIP). The 2007 funding levels were at approximately $149 million, compared to $16 million in 2017. Funding levels have varied, dropping substantially to below $50 million seven times between 2006 and 2017.
The MPOAC listed four additional priorities.
Allow Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) funds to be used on transportation facilities not originally under their system. The SIS would these use funds to enhance mobility or support freight transportation. This expansion of funding would directly benefit users of SIS facilities.
Establishes flexible, predictable funding for transit projects by removing various funding limitations in the State Transportation Trust Fund (STTF). This would increase funding for priority transit projects.
Recognizes federal metropolitan transportation planning funds as not state funds, for expenditure purposes. This would clarify that federal monies provided by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) shall not be used for federally required duties.
Supports advancing of innovative transportation. The goal is to advance transportation technologies while also protecting citizens from tampering by making tampering a punishable offense.
State Transportation Group, Chaired by Leon County Commissioner Nick Maddox, Endorses Legislative Priorities added by Hannah Cooperman on
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The real people in charge of transportation planning in our region are the people at the CRTPA. Never heard of them? of course not, because the city tries to overshadow them, and created Blueprint to get around the formal process established by the state and the feds. This process is accepted all over the U.S. The CRTPA is one of like 27 MPOs around the state and is the official planning body for our region recognized by the state and the feds. The City wants you to think they do all of the planning and building here, and any bad projects are the FDOT’s fault. The CRTPA is getting ready to undertake a new long range plan update for transportation and we all should pay attention and provide input.
” so all counties in MPO areas can enact up to a one cent local option surtax by referendum ” …………… OH HELL NO.
Somebody look into Nick Maddox lobbying for the worst test prep math program Acaletics at almost $35,000 per school. Thanks Nick and those in Leon County that promote test prep useless Acaletics. If you school uses test prep Acaletics, sorry.
The Tallahassee Democrat refuses to give progress reports on Nick’s performance at this Acaletics job.
The Tallahassee Democrat continues to not hold themselves accountable because they endorsed Nick Maddox. Nick was touting he was a CEO of a Seminoles Boosters fundraising venture which in fact it was defunct and never had raised $0.01.
Bob Gabordi was given this information and refused to report it much less investigate it. Be at the Tallahassee Democrat endorsed him.
Nick was elected and did nothing regarding the disjointed Dispatch Center where lives were lost because of poor performance and leadership, Tallahassee became the biggest crime rate city in Florida, our roads suck, Waste Pro service sucks, Nick Maddox never questioned Gary yordon and Scott Maddox’s dealings with Waste Pro, Nick’s blonde County Commission assistant was given an exorbitant severance package after only a few months, do we even need to go to his performance of the CRA that Nick chaired? We all know that story…
Who was his former assistant with the large severance package? I’m pretty sure he has had the same one for years . . . .
It was his first assistant when he was first elected. The assistant was not there very long and did not warrant such a large severance package which fueled speculation.
Hey, maybe they’ll two-lane West Tennessee St. and ruin it too – like Gaines St.
Well this explains a lot regarding the state of our bad roads… Let’s hope he does as good on this as he did on the CRA.