Mission/History
The Broward League of Cities is a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness and resolving issues facing Broward County’s 31 cities and municipalities at the local, county and state level. The organization’s dedicated committees conduct research and suggest policies for current topics affecting residents, including education, housing, economic concerns and municipal services. The League’s mission is as follows:
- Identify and help resolve issues affecting municipalities within Broward County;
- Promote municipal authority and represent the interests of municipalities and their residents;
- Strive to increase public knowledge of municipal services, issues, concerns, accomplishments and responsibilities;
- Provide leadership on issues of local, regional, state and national concern.
Finding a Voice
As South Florida experienced a population boom in the latter half of the twentieth century, government officials realized they needed an organization dedicated to providing a cohesive message to residents on various issues. In 1957, the Broward County League of Cities was chartered to represent the then 15 municipalities.
The original charter provided a unified platform where representatives could help shape legislation and influence decisions on important topics such as education, transportation, growth and legislative decisions that crossed city lines and affected the entire County.
Broward League Today
Today, the Broward League of Cities is a non-partisan, non-profit organization comprised of elected officials from Broward County’s 31 municipal governments and a representative of the Broward County Commission. The League is a voluntary association that serves over 1.8 million residents and more than 125 associate government, non-profit, and business organizations.
The Broward League’s current emphasis is much like the original charter: the organization is dedicated to the identification and resolution of problems that affect the day-to-day operations of local government, including legislation at the county, state, and federal levels.
The League continues to grow and adapt as it constantly explores and vets new ideas, programs, initiatives, and services that will provide an enhanced quality of life to residents, business owners, and key stakeholders in Broward County.
The Big Picture
The Broward League of Cities is a member of the Florida League of Cities, which serves to unify local governments throughout the state of Florida. The Florida League of Cities represents more than 400 cities, towns and municipalities throughout the state. Its elected board of directors helps each county outline its mission, goals and objectives based on the overall benefit to the state’s residents.
County and regionalized leagues are initiated by city officials to resolve local municipal issues and serve as umbrella organizations which represent those issues at the state and federal level. Local leagues, while independent of the Florida League of Cities, can choose to participate in advocacy issues on a statewide basis.