Amidst a debate over ethics reform and no-bid contracts, City Commissioner Jack Porter recommended a $150,000 no-bid grant to the Legal Aid of Tallahassee, a non-profit group run by Carrie Litherland who supported Porter’s 2020 campaign for city commission.
The grant was for the operation of a Municipal Identification Card Program.
Records show Litherland – the executive director of Legal Aid of Tallahassee – donated $250 to Porter’s campaign and was listed as community leader who endorsed Porter’s 2020 candidacy.
Public records also indicate City Commissioner Porter was instrumental in identifying Legal Aid of Tallahassee as a potential sole source vendor.
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The motion detailing the vendor and the cost of the program passed 4-1 during the September 22nd Tallahassee City Commission meeting. Mayor John Dailey voted no due to the lack of details provided about the operation of the program.
During the discussion of the motion, the mayor and city commissioners were supportive of the Municipal ID Card program, but raised several questions about the selection of the vendor and a two year commitment of $150,000 for a program that may not generate much benefit.
When Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox proposed a pilot program that the City of Tallahassee could exit based on performance, Commissioner Porter made it clear that Legal Aid needed a two year financial commitment from the City of Tallahassee to hire an individual to implement the program.
It was also revealed during the discussion that Legal Aid had yet to submit a formal proposal to the City of Tallahassee
The motion that passed directed city staff to negotiate a contract with Legal Aid that – upon request from Commissioner Williams-Cox – will include performance milestones.
It is not clear if the negotiated contract will have to be approved by the Tallahassee City Commission or if it can be terminated if there is no demand for ID cards.
Selection of Vendor
The idea of a Municipal Identification Card Program was initiated by Commissioner Porter at the close of the April 7th City Commission meeting. The commission voted unanimously to direct staff to bring back an informational item for discussion.
The item was next included in the April 21 City Commission agenda and the Commission voted 5-0 to direct staff to bring back specific options related to the program. However, the motion made by Commissioner Porter made no mention of specific vendors.
At the September 8th Tallahassee City Commission, during the “sharing of ideas” part of the meeting, Commissioner Porter informed the Commission that she had been working to find a community partner for the program.
Porter told the Commission that Legal Aid of Tallahassee had been in touch with officials at the City of Tallahassee about implementing the program. Porter made a motion that city staff work with the Legal Aid of Tallahassee and bring back an item at the next City Commission meeting. The motion, which did not address the cost of the program, passed 5-0 and resulted in September 22nd agenda item that passed 4-1.
Cost of Program
Tallahassee Reports asked for the documentation supporting the 2-year, $150,000 cost of the program and was told that the cost was based on a verbal estimate provided by Legal Aid Executive Director Carrie Litherland.
The $150,000 price tag is not consistent with the cost of other ID programs implemented in Florida.
For example, in Alachua County, with a population of 269,000, a non-government local provider manages the ongoing operation of the ID program without government funding. City of Tallahassee staff reported in their analysis that Alachua County government made no financial contributions to initiate the ID program. Also, the City of Gainesville provided no funds.
The Alachua County program has been in place since February, 2020 with approximately 1,000 card holders, which is approximately 0.3% of the population.
In 2019, several cities in Palm Beach County adopted resolutions accepting the validity of resident ID cards issued by a community provider.
The City of West Palm Beach provided one-time funding of $40,000 for the program. In 2021, Palm Beach County approved a one-time $75,000 grant after the program was up and running. A total of $115,000 was funded for a population of 1,479,000.
In three years, roughly 3,000 of the 1,479,000 residents of Palm Beach County have requested an ID card. This is approximately 0.2% of the population.
In contrast, the vote by City of Tallahassee allocates $75,000 annually for two years to market ID cards to a population of approximately 190,000. If approximately 1,000 request the cards – as in Alachua County – the cost would be $150 per ID card.
Commissioner Porter Recommends No-Bid $150k Grant to Group Run by Campaign Donor added by Steve Stewart on
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Porter is new to this. She hasn’t learned how to funnel millions to her friends like the Mayor does.
How much did Ed Murray,
Who gave $10k+ to John Dailey’s campaign make off of the recent land sale? How much did he make off of Northwood Mall?
For extra fun, why does the city pay realtors at all when they receive “unsolicited” offers?
Good to see the torch of bad ethics in the Kapital District being passed to a whole new generation. Keep up the great work you filthy socialist Kapital District voters. Rules for thee and not for me indeed.
Mr. Hawkins lays out the realty in a most succinct manner. This graft scheme is a complete waste and misappropriation of taxpayer funds.
I recommend the City Commission use part of these “intended for graft” taxpayer funds to purchase paint thinner and clean off the “Marxists Welcome” sign they approved in violation of the Government in the Sunshine Act, and financed by way of a previous misappropriation of taxpayer funds.
“Commissioner Porter made it clear that Legal Aid needed a two year financial commitment from the City of Tallahassee to hire an individual to implement the program.”
IF this actually gets traction and starts moving forward then, why not hire that person yourself and NOT give this program to any outside Vendor, that way you get the Program and Commission Williams-Cox gets her Exit if it fails. This program IS a waste of Time, Effort and Money that can be spent on real Infrastructure Issues.
First off, you all may know the name “Carrie Litherland”, she ran for Mayor in 2016, a Student at the time and wanted to change the Time of when the Commission Meetings took place because they interfered with HER Schedule.
Secondly: We don’t NEED a damn Municipal Identification Card. We have a Government Issued Photo ID already, for most of us, it is called a Drivers License. It even has a Magnetic Strip on the Back full of information about us and can hold more.
Thirdly: I checked with the DMV Tag Office back in 2016 and was told that if you cant afford to purchase a Photo ID at the regular price, you could fill out a form and get one for just $6. That $150,000 could pay for 25,000 Photo ID’s and you do NOT have to waste time looking for Vendors, writing Contracts, have Meeting about it, etc. Just CALL Doris Malloy and inform her of the plan and tell her to do it. Then just get the word out on the County Web Sites, the County’s Facebook & Tweeter Accounts and the Commissioners can post it on their Facebook Accounts as well. There is your Pilot Program, and everyone’s ID Card looks like everyone else’s. If it looks like it is taking off, you could add more money as it goes..
Thirdly: Leon County may have a $294,000,000 Budget but you don’t need to waste it on Programs we do not need. I am running for County Commission for 2022 and at the top of my Platform is “Reeling in Wasteful Spending”, I would not vote for this Program.
Lots of comments on TR basically said this:
Porter and Matlow are basically good guys. We should be glad to “give them a chance”. “Give them some time.”
Well well now it did not take too long for Porters true colors to show up did it? None of these leftists nannies can be trusted we dont need to give any of them “a chance”. They are all bad and none of your elected nannies are any less bad than the others.
They have one choice… to undo it and not be brought before the Ethics Commission and a criminal investigation, or let it stand and go to prison and become convicted felons.
I am just happy to be here.
Read this part of the article again… carefully and attentively.
~ “ When Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox proposed a pilot program that the City of Tallahassee could exit based on performance, Commissioner Porter made it clear that Legal Aid needed a two year financial commitment from the City of Tallahassee to hire an individual to implement the program.
It was also revealed during the discussion that Legal Aid had yet to submit a formal proposal to the City of Tallahassee
The motion that passed directed city staff to negotiate a contract with Legal Aid that – upon request from Commissioner Williams-Cox – will include performance milestones.” ~
It really wraps this all up in a nice packaged labeled “The Reality of Obvious”. This whole scam is/was a tax dollar graft (political payback) seeking a method. The entire scheme should be brought back before the commission and tanked “with prejudice”. Those who support it from henceforth are thus complicit in the graft scheme.
Matlow wants to stop campaign donors from serving as vendors for the city. Why did he support this? He and Porter are just as crooked as the rest of them. Instead of disbanding the police departments like other cities want to do can we disband the commission? Think about how much money that would save us.
I guess being a “northeast moderate” means a little graft is Ok? We are all well aware of Vancore Jones and their civic depravities…
Like I always say; No matter how you arrange the letters D E M O C R A T… it will always spell HYPOCRITE
What a joke.
The Chamber of Commerce and VancoreJones through their elected clients, especially Dailey, have used local government as their piggy bank for decades: hundreds of millions of dollars through Blueprint, City and County to benefit the developers and real estate interests that fund their campaigns.
Scott Maddox-appointed City Manager Reese Goad likely set this up as he is the no-bid king of Tallahassee along with fellow Maddox disciple Ben Pingree.
Let’s continue to examine this thread though: how about far bigger no-bid contracts to Dailey’s friends at the Apalachee Center and huge giveaways to R.B. Holmes’ Bethel Baptist entities that support certain commissioners.
The Democrat already lets Ron Sachs and Chamber PR insiders attack the few good commissioners with phony hit pieces. Don’t follow down their path, Steve.
Carrie (who won’t personally profit from this program) should have set up 20 LLCs she could max out like Dailey’s supporters did when she ran against him. Then she could really have access to local gov money.
“Jack” Porter is as dirty and corrupt as anyone that has ever served on the City Commission. They create these avenues for graft and then line their patrons up at the trough. The City doesn’t need an ID card program, its all bs so she can funnel our money to her friends.
So the next time she wants to get all high and mighty and stand on her soapbox with Matlow, she should think twice, because we all know what time it is in the City of Tallahassee.
She’s a real piece of work…
Do you have to be a U.S. citizen to receive a Municipal Identification Card?
Will you be able to use this municipal ID card to vote in our U.S. elections?
What is Porter’s agenda here?
Where is the ethics office we voted for?