Battle still being waged by GIBA over disclosure law

BY MARCY SHORTUSE - After waiving more than $600,000 in penalties for various state officials, the Florida Ethics Commission is still determined to make Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority board members pay.

According to a 2009 law created through the Florida Ethics Committee, any special taxing district with the words “bridge” or “authority” in their name must follow the same rules that congressmen and judges must follow pertaining to financial disclosure.

This includes a change-over from a very simple disclosure that all board members must file prior to being appointed or elected now.

Because of the ruling, anyone running for office within a special taxing authority must completely disclose all of their financial assets on a much more intricate form, as well as their most recent federal tax return. Those records would also become public knowledge.

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