Peter Miravalle III just completed his first year as a member of the Grant Valcaria City Council and, with great regret, has had to say goodbye to elected office.
Miravalle, a former engineering manager at L3Harris Technologies, has decided to resign from his unpaid position with the Town Council effective Dec. 14 rather than file a detailed financial disclosure report, known as a Form 6, with the state. City and town mayors and other city council and commission members are required to submit annual reports.
The form must be submitted by July 1 for employees currently employed as of January 1, and will be available for anyone to view on the Florida Ethics Commission's website. This form details the elected official's total net worth, sources of income, business ownership, real estate holdings, stock and bond investments, and bank accounts. You are also required to list the total value of all household goods and personal items such as jewelry. Collection of stamps, coins and guns. A work of art. Household equipment and furniture. clothing; and vehicles. Filers must also disclose debts such as mortgages, car loans, and student loans.
Disclosure law details:What is Form 6? Here's why so many elected city officials across Florida are suddenly resigning
Many other Florida elected officials, from the governor to county commissioners, have already been asked to submit these financial disclosures. But some city employees thought this requirement was too much for their positions, which were part-time, offered small salaries, or were done on a volunteer basis.
“I didn't want to reveal that I've worked hard all my life,” Miravalle said, adding: “I generally don't discuss politics, religion or my finances with people.”
Brevard University official resigns over Florida State Form 6 dispute
Miravalle is not the only person to resign from public office at the end of 2023, citing the requirements of Form 6, also known as “full disclosure of financial interests.” Grant-Valcaria City Councilor Kathy DeMott agreed. He has been a member of the seven-member council since the town was incorporated in 2006. In her resignation letter, DeMott said her primary reason for resigning was “new demands.” Please complete Form 6. ”
There were also two resignations from the Town of Melbourne Village board, Gary Ingram and David Jones. Additionally, Indiantic City Councilwoman Julie McKnight has decided not to seek re-election when her second two-year term ends in 2023, citing new disclosure requirements.
That's what's happening across the state. For example, in Marion County, the town of Reddick lost its entire town council and mayor. Meanwhile, four of the five McIntosh City Council members have resigned. The St. Pete Beach City Council also lost four of its five members.
It's all Form 6's fault.
“While I would like to remain as a commissioner and continue to contribute to the betterment of the Town of Melbourne Village, I must resign solely due to the requirements of a new Florida law, commonly known as Form 6,” Ingram wrote. in his resignation letter. “It would be too much of a hassle to have to disclose my financial situation to the public.”
McKnight, a previous victim of identity fraud, said he decided not to seek re-election in 2023 after hearing about the new disclosure requirements. She felt it was too risky to post details of her net worth and other financial status on her ethics committee's website.
McKnight said he was “really looking forward” to running again in 2023 and went so far as to gather signatures on a petition to qualify for the ballot. It was completely in.
But after learning about the disclosure requirements for his “$200 a month salary” as an Indiantick city councilman, “it just wasn't worth the risk,” McKnight said.
Small towns in Florida — where council and commission members receive little or no pay — appear to be disproportionately affected by Form 6-related resignations and officials who are not seeking re-election. Melbourne Village is the least populated of Brevard's 16 cities and towns, with fewer than 700 residents. Indiantic has approximately 3,000 residents, making it the third smallest of Brevard's municipalities. Grant Valcaria also has approximately 5,000 residents, the sixth-lowest population in Brevard.
Grant Valcaria Mayor Del Jontz, who has held the position since the town was incorporated in 2006, also said he was seriously considering resigning at the end of 2023, citing the new requirements. Ta.
Yontz said he “went back and forth” before deciding to continue.
He said no one on the seven-member town council was satisfied with the new disclosure requirements.
2023 local election results:Five Brevard County communities elect new leaders
Younts voiced his opposition to the new requirements in a recent email to Florida Sen. Debbie Mayfield, whose district includes much of Brevard.
“I am very concerned that in the future, only people who are willing to run for local government will be running to change things that are specific to them, rather than to represent the wishes of their residents. ,” Yontz wrote.
Yount and his colleagues suggest exempting municipalities with small populations, small budgets, or those with little or no salary for elected officials from the disclosure requirement.
Senate Bill Sponsor Rebuts Form 6 Opponents
But Florida Sen. Jason Brodeur (R-Lake Mary), who proposed the Senate bill adding this requirement, disagrees.
He points out that city officials, like state legislators, have a say in how taxpayers' money is spent.
“This bill puts city employees on par with other elected officials because they have the least amount of transparency, because they have arguably the highest spending authority and the lowest voting threshold,” Broder said. “I'm not so much concerned about their salaries, I'm more concerned about their spending authority. It takes 82 votes to spend taxpayer dollars in the Florida House and 21 votes in the Senate. ) and the House of Representatives (61 votes).In cities, tens of millions of dollars can be spent with just three votes.”
“Taxpayers deserve transparency,” Brodeur said. “Voters are happy when someone resigns with a simple disclosure like hundreds of other elected officials have already done. “You should,” he argues.
Impact on potential candidates
Pamela Castellana, chairwoman of the Brevard Democratic Party Executive Committee, said she believes financial disclosure requirements for city elected officials are “onerous, highly invasive and unnecessary.”
But she sees no signs that the measure is having a negative impact locally on the Democratic Executive Committee's ability to field independent candidates for the 2024 Brevard city election.
Candidates for elected offices who are required to file Form 6 must also file the form when qualifying as candidates for that office. Therefore, candidates for municipal mayors and city council members will also be affected.
Rick Lacy, chairman of the Brevard Republican Executive Committee, said Republicans are also not having trouble finding candidates to run.
Lacey said he supports the disclosure requirements included in the 2023 bill.
“I have always believed in increased transparency from our elected officials,” Lacy said.
fill a vacant seat
In Grant Valcaria, six people applied to fill the vacancies created by the resignations of Mr. DeMott and Mr. Miravalle. In December, the Town Council elected Mike Bradvalevich to serve the remaining three years of Miravalle's term, and Brent Jackson to serve the remaining year of DeMott's term.
In Melbourne Village, the town board is scheduled to vote next month on filling two vacancies on the board. But town officials said there were no active applicants for the position as of Thursday. Town residents interested in a seat can pick up an application package at Town Hall, located at 555 Hammock Road.
In Indiantick, Brett Miller decided to run for the five-member town council after McKnight announced he would not seek re-election, and was unopposed in November's election.
McKnight said he enjoyed his time on town council and plans to serve again. But that's only if the Florida Legislature overrides financial disclosure requirements for city employees, especially “for small towns like ours,” he said.
Miravalle expressed similar thoughts in his comments at the last Grant Valcaria City Council meeting before leaving office.
“If I had the chance, I would do it all over again,” Miravalle told his fellow town councilors and the public at the meeting. “I intend to continue to serve the community as a volunteer, but this does not require full financial disclosure.”
Dave Berman is business editor. Florida today. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com, X. @daveberman Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54.
