On February 2, 2017, the City of New Port Richey hosted the quarterly meeting of the Municipal Association of Pasco (MAP) group.  The special guest speaker for the meeting was Ms. Angela Crist from the Suncoast League of Cities. Ms. Crist stated that municipalities in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties have joined together with the Suncoast League of Cities, the Florida Department of Transportation District 7, FORWARD Pinellas, Hillsborough County MPO, the Tampa Bay Regional Transit Authority, the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council and the Tampa Bay Partnership to address transportation issues that affect the overall quality of life, economic vitality, and growth in the Tampa Bay Region.  The entities have formed an advocacy group called the Transportation Advocacy Group Tampa Bay (TAG).  The TAG's mission is to be the unified voice for better mobility of the Tampa Bay Region at the local, state, and federal levels.

Ms. Crist stated that the Suncoast League of Cities was asking the MAP group as a whole, as well as each of the municipalities in Pasco County, to adopt a resolution in support of the TAG's Regional Compact initiatives. If approved, City Council is hereby pledging its support of the following initiatives:

• Development of and advocacy for joint positions on federal and state legislation, regulations, and administrative policies pertaining to expansion of technology options to further connectivity within the region, specifically, the Regional Fare Payment System, Traffic Management Systems Applications, and OneBusAway Expansion; replacement of the North Bound Howard Frankland Bridge; and the I-275/SR60 Interchange Reconstruction project.

• Convocation of an Annual TAG Tampa Bay Summit focused on advocacy, innovative solutions and strategic pathways for success.

• Development of a TAG Regional Compact Action Plan, including strategies to accomplish the common goals of TAG Members relating to transportation issues, to be revised every three years from the date of publication of the first Action Plan.

• Seek external funding and resources to support the operation and administration of TAG Tampa Bay.

• Establishment of an enduring organizational structure for the TAG Regional Compact, subject to the approval of each Member of the TAG Regional Compact, to facilitate Compact work, enhance the strong relationships among the Compact Members and Partners, and to improve the Compact’s competitiveness in seeking external funding and resources.

The MAP group unanimously approved the TAG resolution at the meeting on February 2, 2017.  The City of Port Richey approved a similar resolution of support at their March 14, 2017 regular meeting.