All diligent city officials and parties dealing with municipalities should have a basic familiarity with their state constitution. The nature of the document, as well as the scope of subjects that are addressed within a constitution, makes this a practical necessity. The Florida Constitution is the basic source for all state legal questions, and it answers questions regarding the following: the operation of municipalities; the ability of a municipality to regulate and enforce ordinances, to provide services, to raise revenues, to borrow money, and to acquire property; and the process for accomplishing these activities. The Florida Constitution also deals with subjects like city-county relationships, the right of city employees to bargain terms and conditions of employment, the right to be sued, the right to create courts and administrative boards, and even the very existence of municipalities.
The purpose in writing this Article is to educate people about municipal issues by exploring the importance of constitutions, providing an overview of the Florida Constitution, and surveying different sections of the Florida Constitution affecting municipalities.