Broward County, Florida
From Sunshine Review
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
Contents |
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]
| Firm | Branch | Compensation range |
|---|---|---|
| Ericks Consultants, Inc | Legislature Executive | $15,000 $10,000 to $19,999 |
| Greenberg Traurig, P.A. | Legislature Executive | $0 $0 |
| Heffley & Associates | Legislature Executive | $5,000 $1 to $9,999 |
[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
[edit] External links
- 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
- ↑ Florida's charter counties
- ↑ Budget
- ↑ Televised Meetings
- ↑ Commissioners
- ↑ Meeting Information
- ↑ Audit Reports
- ↑ Building and Zoning
- ↑ Tax Information
- ↑ Contracts
- ↑ Open Secrets
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 FLORIDA LEGISLATURE—2009/QTR 1 COMPENSATION BY PRINCIPAL
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 EXECUTIVE BRANCH—2009/QTR 1 COMPENSATION BY PRINCIPAL
- ↑ 2009 Legislative Principal - Broward County
- ↑ 2009 Executive Principal - Broward County
- ↑ 2009 Executive Principal - Broward County Board of County Commissioners
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 2009 Q1 Executive
- ↑ 2009 Legislative Principal - Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals
- ↑ 2009 Legislative Principal - Broward County Clerk of Courts
- ↑ 2009 Legislative Lobbyist by Principal
- ↑ 2009 Legislative Principal - Broward County Property Appraiser
- ↑ 2009 Legislative Lobbyist by Principal
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 2009 Q1 Legislative Lobbying
- ↑ 2009 Legislative Principal - Broward Principals and Administrative Assistants
- ↑ 2009 Legislative Principal - Broward Principals and Administrative Assistants
- ↑ Broward Principals' and Assistants' Association
- ↑ Membership Directory
- ↑ PBC Clerk & Comptroller 5.30.07
- ↑ Broward legislators balk at new ethics law, Sun-Sentinel, January 9, 2010
- ↑ "3 Broward politicians arrested in FBI public corruption stings," Miami Herald, September 24, 2009
| |||||


