TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Lawmakers Tackle Campaign Financing

ADVERTISEMENT

By MIKE SALINERO

msalinero@tampatrib.com

Published: March 26, 2009

TALLAHASSEE - Cities and counties across Florida increasingly are using taxpayer dollars in election campaigns when local politicians think an important issue is at stake.

Two Pinellas County lawmakers are bent on stopping the practice and have a good shot of passing legislation to that effect this year.

On Wednesday, St. Petersburg Democratic Rep. Janet Long saw her bill prohibiting the use of public money in political campaigns pass the House Governmental Affairs Policy Committee by unanimous vote.

A companion bill sponsored by Sen. Charlie Justice, also a St. Petersburg Democrat, passed its first committee stop last week with an 8-1 vote.

The bills grew out of the lawmakers' frustration with a Pinellas charter amendment election in 2006 that saw cities and the county spend money campaigning against each other.

"When we talk about why people are so mad and why it takes so much to run the government, these are the kinds of things that make the hair on the back of my neck stand up," Long said.

Justice said the practice is especially onerous now as local governments slash budgets and lay off workers.

"Political brochures are not something local governments should be spending money on," said Justice, whose district includes part of Tampa and northwest Hillsborough County. "It's fundamentally wrong to use tax dollars like that."
Local governments sometimes spend money campaigning for revenue measures. For instance, in 2007, Pinellas spent several hundred thousand dollars in a successful fight to renew the Penny for Pinellas sales tax.

In other instances, city or county officials fight initiatives that threaten their power. In 2006, St. Pete Beach spent more than $270,000 fighting a referendum to give voters the right to approve amendments to the city's comprehensive growth plan.

The Florida League of Cities is leading the opposition to the bills. Kraig Conn, the league's legislative counsel, said local government leaders have a responsibility to advocate for what they believe is best for their constituents. The Florida Supreme Court has upheld the governments' right to do that, he said.

"If locally elected officials choose to take a position on a matter they believe affects the quality of life of their constituents, they have an ability to ... use public funds to advocate that position," Conn said.

Hillsborough County commissioners passed a resolution in 2006 to use in-house resources to educate residents about the dangers of changing from a commission form of government to a county mayor system. The commission, however, decided not to pay for a formal campaign. Voters will decide the issue next year.

Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8301.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT