Broward County, Florida

From Sunshine Review

Budget Meetings Elected Officials Administrative Officials Permits, zoning Audits Contracts Lobbying Public records Local taxes

Broward's population as of 2007 was 1,765,707. It is one of 20 charter counties in the state. It became a charter county in 1975.^[1]

[edit] Evaluation of website

Main article: Evaluation of Florida county websites

[edit] The good

• Budget and financial reports are available online.^[2]
• Meetings are broadcast online live.^[3]
• Commissioners are listed with contact information.^[4]
• Meeting schedules, minutes, and agendas are available.^[5]
• County auditor reports are available.^[6]
• Building permits and zoning information is available.^[7]
• Local tax information is provided.^[8]
• Contracts are online.^[9]

[edit] The bad

• Includes lobbying information, but does not disclose if belongs to taxpayer-funded lobbying associations.
• Has an online records search, but does not provide information on how to make a public records request.

[edit] Lobbying

Main articles:Florida taxpayer-funded lobbying and Florida League of Cities

Broward County has reported $2,810,000 spent lobbying since 2000 (see table).

Broward County has lobbying representation from firms. There are Capitol Hill Group, Ericks Consultants, Pittman Law Group, Ronald L. Book P.A., and Tripp Scott P.A..

For the lobbying it does before the legislature, the county has 16 lobbyists. ^[13] For lobbying before the executive, it utilizes the services of 11 lobbyists. ^[14]

[edit] County boards and other offices

The Broward County Board of Commissioners has a lobbyist on its payroll for lobbying before the executive^[15] and is represented by the firm Fowler White Boggs, P.A.^[16]

The Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals has a lobbyist it compensates between $1.00 to $9,999.00 for lobbying before the Florida legislature. ^{[11] [17]}

The Broward County Clerk of Courts has two lobbyists^[18] it compensates $15,000 for lobbying the legislature. ^{[19] [11]} The Broward County Property Appraiser has two lobbyists^[20] it compensates $15,000.^{[21] [11]} Representation is provided by Ericks Consultants Inc.^[22]

[edit] Sheriff

The Broward County Sheriff's Office is represented by:^{[16] [22] [11] [12]}

[edit] Broward Principals and Administrative Assistants

Broward Principals and Administrative Assistants lobby the executive and the legislature.^{[16] [22]} The group pays at least two lobbyists,^{[23] [24]} and it is unclear whether this is equivalent to the Broward Principals' and Assistants' Association. ^[25]

[edit] Taxpayer-funded lobbying associations

Broward pays membership dues^[26] to the Florida League of Cities, a taxpayer-funded lobbying association.

[edit] Audits

For Broward County, the County Commission hires the County Auditor who reports directly to the commission. The Charter change established this function.^[27]

[edit] New ethics law

Broward's state legislators voted against one proposed new ethics law and postponed action on another.

"It sounded like some of these folks don't get the message," said a disappointed Bill Scherer, a prominent Broward lawyer and member of the County Ethics Commission. "This attitude demonstrates some kind of apathy to the problem we face in our community."

The County Ethics Commission is drafting an ethics code for county commissioners.

Opponents to the ethics law said they weren't comfortable moving forward with the legislation until they know all the details of the new code, which will be completed by the end of February.^[28]

[edit] Bribery arrests

In 2009 Broward County commissioner, a School Board member, a former Miramar city commissioner, and a prominent Hollywood political fundraiser were arrested.

Board member Beverly Gallagher, County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion, Jr., and former Miramar Commissioner Fitzroy Salesman were arrested September 23, 2009 for unrelated fraud cases after FBI sting operations.^[29]

The agents slipped more than $40,000 in cash to the politicians while posing as corrupt businessmen. The FBI released hidden tape recorders entangling Commissioner Eggelletion, School Board member Gallagher and former Commissioner Salesman, but more arrests are expected.

[edit] See also

• Florida taxpayer-funded lobbying
• Audits

[edit] External links

Broward County

• Official Broward County Website
• Browards County Records Division
• Broward County Clerk of Court
• Broward County on E-Reference
• Broward County Supervisor of Elections
• Broward County Public Schools
• Broward County Sheriff's Office

[edit] References

	v • d • e State of Florida Tallahassee (capital)
Transparency	Sunshine Law | Open Meetings Law | Government corruption reports | Transparency Legislation | Open Records procedures | Transparency Advocates |
Divisions	State | List of Counties | List of Cities | List of School Districts | Evaluation of State website | Evaluation of county websites | Evaluation of city websites | Evaluation of school district websites |
State spending	State budget | State salaries | Stimulus allocations | Taxpayer-funded lobbying |
Government	Florida State Constitution | Executive | House of Representatives | Senate | Local officials | Public school system |
Judiciary	Florida Supreme Court | Court Election (2008) | Circuit Court of Appeals | District Courts | Judicial Nominating Commission | Judicial news | Judicial activist organizations |
Ballot Measures	2008 ballot measures | List of ballot measures | Procedures for qualifying an initiative | Amending the constitution | History of direct democracy | Campaign finance requirements |