Orlando, Florida
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Incorporated in 1875 on an area of 4 square miles and officially made a city in 1885, Orlando is now -- on an area of approximately 100 square miles -- the famous home of Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld Orlando.[2] [3]
Website Transparency
The good
- Budget is published.[4]
- Commissioners are listed with contact information. Meeting schedule, agenda, and minutes are available.[5]
- Administrative officials are listed with contact information.[6]
- Available bids are listed through the Purchasing and Materials Management Division. Awarded, cancelled, deleted and active contracts are mentioned and details are provided.[7]
- Annual financial audits are published.[8]
- Building permits[9] and zoning information is provided.[10]
- Links to public record including state statutes are included.[11]
The bad
- Current contracts are not available though details are provided.[12]
- Local tax information not provided.
- Includes some information on lobbyists[13], but nothing on government sector lobbying.
- Does not provide information on how to make specific public record requests.
Elected Officials
Orlando operates under a strong-mayor governing model in which the voter-elected mayor serves as the executive body and the city council, also elected by voters, serves a legislative function.[14] The city council is composed of six commissioners elected at-large to serve four year terms.
Miami's current mayor is Buddy Dyer, who has been in office since 2003.[15] City commissioners, all non-partisan, as of June 2011:[16]
| Commissioner | District | 1st Yr. Elected |
|---|---|---|
| Phil Diamond | District 1 | 2002 |
| Tony Ortiz | District 2 | 2008 |
| Robert F. Stuart | District 3 | 2006 |
| Patty Sheehan | District 4 | 2000 |
| Daisy W. Lynum | District 5 | 1998 |
| Samuel B. Ings | District 6 | 2006 |
According to the proposed 2009-10 city budget, commissioners would earn $49,383 annually. Each commissioner has a different district budget, however. For instance, Stuart's is $22,539 but Ings's is $48,679 and Lynum's is $45,671. Ings and Lynum have the highest district budgets. All other budgets are under $20,000 per year.[17]
Expenditures per district rose during the 2010-11 fiscal year compared to the previous fiscal year. The increase in expenditures, respective of each district: 5.37%, 6.43%, 10.87%, 5.47%, 8.70%, 1.17%[18]
Lobbying
- Main articles: Florida government sector lobbying and Florida League of Cities.
Orlando has reported more than $675,000 spent on lobbying since 2000 (see table).
| Year | Amount spent on lobbying |
|---|---|
| 2010 | $80,000 |
| 2009 | $90,000 |
| 2008 | $85,000 |
| 2007 | $80,000 |
| 2006 | $80,000 |
| 2005 | $20,000 |
| 2004 | $40,000 |
| 2003 | $80,000 |
| 2002 | $80,000 |
| 2001 | $40,000 |
| 2000 | Less than $10,000 |
Orlando pays membership dues[20] to the Florida League of Cities, a government sector lobbying association.
External links
References
- ↑ Orlando population
- ↑ Orlando, Florida on Wikipedia
- ↑ city's founding
- ↑ Office of Management and Budget
- ↑ Council
- ↑ Contact Us
- ↑ Bids
- ↑ CAFR
- ↑ Permits
- ↑ Planning
- ↑ public records
- ↑ types of contracts
- ↑ Lobbyists
- ↑ mayor's powers
- ↑ Miami mayor
- ↑ current commissioners
- ↑ commissioners' salaries and annual budgets
- ↑ increase in districts' yearly expenditures
- ↑ Open Secrets
- ↑ Membership Directory
