Two Daytona Beach Shores city commissioners have resigned as the latest in a wave of local elected officials leaving before Jan. 1, when they face more stringent financial disclosure requirements.
Mel Lindauer, a Shores commissioner since 2016, told The News-Journal on Wednesday the new requirement − submitting what’s known as Form 6 − is “totally invasive” and serves no purpose.
Commissioner Richard Bryan, who has also served since 2016, said in his Dec. 21 resignation letter that he had another priority but added the Form 6 issue “affected the timing” of his decision.
…
Many state officials already file a Form 6, including the governor and Cabinet, legislators, county council members and sheriffs. The forms require disclosure of the filer’s net worth and holdings valued at more than $1,000, including bank accounts, stocks, retirement accounts, salary and dividends.
Every level of government should require this, IMO.
If folks want to resign over it, I get it, and that’s fine. You are meant to be replaced regularly anyway. Career politicians are more of a bug than a feature.
If you don’t want people to know your finances, you shouldn’t be a public servant. Power should include transparency.
There’s only one problem: Until it’s a requirement on every level it shouldn’t be one for single levels.
This law is not a tool for transparency, but a weapon for state politicians against local politicians disagreeing with them.
What we have here is a law in a majorily red state that does not apply for state officials (republicans) but does apply for local politicians (democrats in several big cities) that can punish minor infractions (please try to make a list of everything you own with the correct values that can withstand an audit by the state…) with jail time. Go figure…
Thanks for the context, that certainly changes my view of it. Sounds like the usual “rules for thee, not for me” dick move.