Scrap Metal Theft on the Rise

Scrap Metal Theft on the Rise

Move over gold market! There are other metals gaining attention today. The cost of scrap metals (such as aluminum, copper, iron and steel) has been on the rise in recent years. As a result, there has been an upward trend in metal theft. Representative Baxter Troutman, during the 2008 Florida Legislative Session, took the lead to help pass a bill strengthening regulations of recyclable metals.¹ Local Governments in Florida are taking steps to further regulate the metal market.

In August 2010 the Orlando City Council adopted an ordinance hoping to make metal sales to secondary dealers more difficult and less desirable. This ordinance “prohibits secondary metals recyclers from entering into cash transactions in excess of $50 (rather than $1,000) with the same seller in a single day and requires any payment to a seller in excess of $50 to be made by check and mailed to a seller’s physical street address.”²

Hillsborough County is taking a step further and requiring secondary metals recyclers to electronically report all purchase transaction information to law enforcement. Hillsborough County’s new ordinance is expected to cause an increase in law enforcement activity, but the County Commission is hoping to see a decline in metal theft.³

Other metal ordinance trends have also been tracked by OrdinanceWatch™. For example the Hialeah Gardens City Council (in Miami-Dade County) recently adopted an ordinance to allow metal as an acceptable residential roofing material.⁴ In Clay County, the Commission recently approved revisions to the Building Code to allow metal in the construction of Accessory Buildings.⁵

Have you taken advantage of the recycled metal materials market? What have you bought or sold recently? Have you been a victim of recycled metal theft? Do you feel that ordinances can make much of an impact on recycled metal crimes? Please comment and share your thoughts!

Listed below are Scrap Metal issue examples tracked by OrdinanceWatch™. Visit our website at http://www.OrdinanceWatch.com where you can sign up for advance notice of pending local government action.

• Hillsborough County, FL Approves Amendment to the Secondary Metals Recyclers Ordinance

• Orlando, FL Adopts Ordinance Regarding Secondary Metal Recycling

• Hialeah Gardens, FL Adopts LDR Ordinance regarding Metal as an Acceptable Residential Roofing Material

• Clay County, FL Approves Revisions to the Metal Accessory Building Code

• Riviera Beach, FL Rejects Ordinance Regarding Zoning for Scrap Metal Processing Facilities

^{1. Maready, Jeremy. “As Scrap Metal Theft Problem Grows, New Law May Help | TheLedger.com.” Lakeland FL News, Sports, Weather, Classifieds | TheLedger.com | The Lakeland Ledger. 6 May 2008. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. <http://www.theledger.com/article/20080506/BREAKING/898636106>.}

^{2. “Office of the City Clerk.” City of Orlando. 30 Aug. 2010. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. <http://www.cityoforlando.net/cityclerk/citycouncil/ag_min.html>.}

^{3. “Agendas.” Hillsborough County Government Online. 21 Apr. 2010. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. <http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/agendas/home.cfm>.}

^{4. “Agendas.” Hialeah Gardens City Council. 16 Jun. 2010. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. http://www.cityofhialeahgardens.com/cohg2/.}

^{5. “Clay County Commission.” Welcome to Clay County, Florida. 27 July 2010. Web. 29 Sept. 2010. <http://www.claycountygov.com/>.}

Florida, The Pill Mill Capital of the USA

Florida, The Pill Mill Capital of the USA

Many reports of narcotic drug trafficking from pain management clinics in South Florida have recently surfaced. Police Captain Allen Siegel, director of a South Broward narcotics task force says “Broward County has become the Colombia for pharmaceutically diverted drugs”¹. Travelers from other states are attracted to these clinics that advertise, “No Wait for Walk-Ins” and “Out of State Patients Welcome”. One South Florida pill mill even offers $25 gas coupons to “pain-afflicted travelers”. Some suggest these clinics bear the blame for the overdose deaths in Florida, with a 107% rise in oxycodone deaths in 2 years.¹

Local Governments have begun adopting ordinances to declare moratoriums on the establishment of clinics providing pain-management services where medications are dispensed or prescribed.² Cities and counties have started developing regulations for issuing permits and licenses for the creation of Pill Mills. In April, the City Commission of Margate plans to hold a public hearing and second reading of an ordinance to impose a six-month moratorium of the establishment of pain clinics.³ The Lauderhill City Commission is considering adoption of a similar ordinance regarding a nine-month moratorium.⁴

Senator Mike Fasano has introduced SB 2272 for the 2010 Legislative Session. This bill would place strict regulations on the establishment of pain management clinics and subject them to licensure by the DOH. If adopted, this bill will take effect on 7/1/2010.⁵Many see these pill mills as a huge threat to their community, with pain killers taking the place of street drugs. Is this narcotic sprawl affecting your hometown? Do you feel that Local Governments and State Legislature have the proper “tools” to address this pill mill pandemic?

Florida, The Pill Mill Capital of the USA

The following are examples tracked by OrdinanceWatch™. Sign up for pending local government action email advisories at www.OrdinanceWatch.com.

• Margate, FL to Hold Public Hearing and Second Reading of Ordinance Regarding a Six-Month Moratorium of Pain Clinics
• Lauderhill, FL to Hold Public Hearing and Second Reading of Ordinance Regarding a Proposed Moratorium on Pain Management Clinic Uses
• Broward County, FL Approves request to Formulate Comprehensive Regulations for Pill Mill Establishments
• Lake Worth, FL Adopts Ordinance declaring a Moratorium on establishing Pain Management Clinics
• West Palm Beach, FL Adopts Ordinance Declaring a Moratorium for the Issuance of Permits or approval for the Establishment of Pain Management Clinics

<sup>1. The Ironton Tribune | Pill mills: Florida county has become ‘the Colombia’ of pharmaceuticals. (2009, May 9). The Ironton Tribune | Named Ohio’s best community newspaper. Retrieved March 11, 2010, from http://www.irontontribune.com/news/2009/apr/09/pill-mills-florida-county-has-become-colombia-phar/
2. Meetings and Agendas. (n.d.). City of West Palm Beach, Florida. Retrieved March 11, 2010, from http://www.wpb.org/meetings/meetings.php
3. Upcoming/Previous Meeting Agendas. (n.d.). City of Margate, Florida: Official Municipal Website. Retrieved March 11, 2010, from http://www.margatefl.com/agendas.html#
4. City of Lauderhill, Florida. (n.d.). City of Lauderhill, Florida. Retrieved March 11, 2010, from http://lauderhill-fl.gov/
5. Senate 2272: Relating to Pain Management [SPSC] . (n.d.). The Florida Senate. Retrieved March 11, 2010, from http://www.flsenate.gov/session/index.cfm?BI_Mode=ViewBillInfo&Mode=Bills&ElementID=JumpToBox&SubMenu=1&Year=2010&billnum=2272</sup>