Special Districts have been a useful tool in Florida, providing a broad range of governmental services since the turn of the century.   As Florida's population has grown, the interest in special districts as a means of providing and maintaining infrastructure and services has grown proportionately.

Generally, Special Districts are a limited purpose governmental unit administratively separate from county, municipal, or state government.   Special Districts have provided the permanent administrative structure for financing and maintaining services or infrastructure traditionally provided by local government when the local government is unable or unwilling to provide the service or capital improvement.  As the Florida Supreme Court has aptly phrased it, "special districts are essentially financing vehicles."  State v. Sarasota County, 372 So.2d 1115, 1117 (Fla. 1979).

Since their existence, Special Districts have been an important and valuable source of infrastructure development and service delivery dollars in Florida.  It is increasingly evident that Special Districts are assuming an important role in  infrastructure provision for development and in the case of some existing districts, an expanded role in providing conservation and resource management services in response to growth management and environmental concerns.

The role and numbers of existing Special Districts in Florida vary widely between counties.  A review of existing Special Districts does not fail to note the extraordinary diversity of Special Districts' role and function in each jurisdiction, evidencing the ability of Special Districts to respond to localized needs.

For more information regarding Special Districts, and the Special District Information Program visit the web site: http://www.floridaspecialdistricts.org/

The Association of Special Districts, Inc. was organized pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation of the Association of Water Management Districts, Inc. in August, 1976, and reincorporated as the Association of Special Districts, Inc. in November, 1979.  In 1992, it was reincorporated to change the name to the Florida Association of Special Districts, Inc. (FASD).  FASD officers are elected every year.  The President and the President-Elect, serve two-year terms.  All positions are on a volunteer basis.