It appears Mayor Andrew Gillum is uncomfortable supporting recommendations from independent voices when it comes to more stringent ethics rules for elected officials.
At the last City Commission meeting, Commissioner Scott Maddox asked the City Commissioners to vote for a resolution that supported Florida Senate Bill 582, entitled Misuse of Public Office Act which has been proposed for the 2016 session of the Florida Legislature.
The stated purpose of the proposed legislation is to address certain provisions in State law that have prevented law enforcement and State Attorneys from pursuing certain persons suspected of conduct that would constitute unethical or corrupt behavior.
Other cities around the state of Florida have adopted similar resolutions.
The vote by the City Commission was 3-2, with Mayor Gillum and Commissioner Richardson voting against the resolution.
Mayor Gillum also failed to support an independent ethics officer as recommended by the Ethics Advisory Panel and the citizen driven referendum that called for an independent ethics board in 2014.
Approximately 70% of the electorate voted in the last election cycle to change the City Charter and adopt the referendum.
City Commissioner Richardson said he could not support the resolution because he was not familiar with the specific impact of the proposed state legislation. He did point out that he supported the establishment of the independent ethics board for the City of Tallahassee.
Even more curious was Gillum’s reason for opposing the resolution.
Gillum said he agreed with the intent of the resolution but was troubled by the references that Commissioner Maddox made about a local elected official when asking for support of the resolution.
While Maddox never mentioned a local official by name, Maddox referenced news articles that addressed Leon County Superintendent Jackie Pons and the year long controversey over school construction contracts.
Maddox is running for Leon County Superintendent of schools.
But why is this relevant to Mayor Andrew Gillum? Why would a reference to another elected official effect the vote for a resolution that would be good not only for the state of Florida but for the City of Tallahassee?
Gillum would not answer any of our questions.
Maddox Proposes Ethics Resolution, Mayor Gillum Votes No….Again added by Staff on
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Thanks Scott Maddox for standing up for the citizens of Tallahassee.
do you all see that this is a blatent political move by a CAREER politician? of course gilliam is not going to vote for it…its a sham to get jackie in trouble for said politicians gains. tallahassee WAKE UP the rug is being pulled out from under you guys!dont let the word ethics fool you into thinking this is ethical!!!!!!!
Well, it appears that at least two commissioners need to be replaced. There is no legitimate reason to not support the legislation. Government serves the people, not the reverse.
What does he have to fear?
If ever there was a public reason why Gillum should not be the Mayor of the Capital City of Florida it is this vote.
There are those of us, who do business in Tallahassee, know the reason why he voted against this straight forward resolution against corruption and for ethics.
What do you expect from a person that makes his living as a professional politician and has never done anything else in his life but sell his influence.
Straight out of the “So you want to be Barack Obama” handbook…
I would have more respect for your remarks if you would boldly stand out in the open and and throw the Rock and hide your hand. I don’t have any problem signing my name to what I believe. I’m not a coward. It’s very sad that all the negative remarks are directed to local “Black” officials. I’m going to say it LOUD…. I’m BLACK and Proud!!!!
Maddox needs to clean up his own backyard. Using a business address to circumvent the residency requirement for his city commission seat fools no one. Why anyone would entrust him much less vote for him in a position regarding our most precious resources is beyond any rationale.
Perhaps the first person to be prosecuted under Maddox’s proposal should be — Maddox.
Does this nonsense ever end?
How is it any different than what Bill Proctor has done all there years?
It is no different. Also, Alan Williams. T