A new financial disclosure law enacted last year has local officeholders and candidates concerned.
The law, known as SB 774, requires commissioners and mayors of cities, villages, and towns to submit a Form 6 financial disclosure. The previous requirement, Form 1, meant disclosing liabilities over $10,000. Now, individuals must reveal their net worth and the value of each asset, liability, and income source over $1,000.
Many have questioned the new law. Others have resigned, including four out of five in St. Pete Beach and one in Treasure Island. Seminole and several of the beach communities have also lost elected officials.
One of the biggest problems, according to Gulfport City Councilman Ian O’Hara, is that it lessens the pool of potential candidates. “Why would anyone want to participate where you have to inform the entire world of your property, net worth, or clients?” he asks.
While he’s concerned about naming his assets and liabilities, he thinks a bigger issue is running a city. “Say a municipality is unable to get people fast enough and we get into the budget season,” he says. “If we don’t have a quorum we can’t vote.”
Gulfport City Manager Jim O’Reilly agrees that the new requirement could impact the participation of residents. “Most folks that serve have the community at heart,” he says. “If there’s an obstacle, community givers may not want to participate.”
Political strategist Jackson McMillan sees SB 774 another way. He says as local news organizations have shrunk or gone out of business there’s less accountability for local elected officials.
“There are very few entities tracking where money goes in and out of municipalities,” he says, “and contracts with them are known to be inflated. Cutting local electees in on the deal to ensure a contract goes their way has become standard practice.” McMillan hopes having to disclose even small transactions will reveal “shady practices.”
O’Reilly agrees that a lack of transparency is an issue in municipalities with a strong mayor form of government. But he thinks there are fewer opportunities for corruption in the council-manager form of government, which comprises two-thirds of Florida municipalities. “As city managers, we have checks and balances,” he says. “Council sets policy, but they don’t buy things or spend city money.”
Voter guide
Pinellas County municipal elections are Tuesday, March 19. Vote-by-mail ballots usually drop around the middle of February, and early voting runs March 9-17. The deadline to request a ballot by mail is March 7 at 5pm at MailBallot@VotePinellas.gov or 727-464-VOTE (8683).
Eleven Pinellas County cities, including Gulfport and Treasure Island, are holding elections. The following municipalities have canceled theirs because not enough qualified candidates applied: Belleair, Belleair Bluffs, Belleair Shore, North Redington Beach, Redington Beach, Redington Shores, and St. Pete Beach. South Pasadena and Tarpon Springs do not have elections scheduled in 2024.
For more information and to check your voter status see https://www.votepinellas.com.