|
OPEN LETTER TO STATE REPRESENTATIVE MORAITIS |
|
An
Opinion By Jan Bergemann Published March 3, 2018
Mr. Moraitis,
I am a registered Republican and have always supported the Republican cause. But you, as a Florida state legislator, make it really difficult to vote for Republicans. And you, being the chair of the Republican party of Broward County, shouldn’t wonder that all the elected legislators in your county are Democrats. Since eight years you file anti-owner special interest bills that cause great financial harm to the owners owning property in community associations – and that as a legislator in a county that consists more or less of condominiums and homeowners’ associations.
This year, possibly as a nasty drum-roll, you sponsored HB 841, a bill that is turning into an owners’ nightmare – if enacted. Hopefully the Senate has members who will recognize the nasty provisions contained in your bill and will vote against it.
Your bill was “advertised” as a bill that would correct some issues caused by wording in last year’s Condo Reform Bill HB 1237. But in all reality your bill not only will reverse the progress made with last year’s bill for owners, it will even make it worse.
Your bill is not only making a mess out of the condo recall provisions, it actually puts an end to open board meetings. NO MORE BUSINESS IN THE SUNSHINE! No more open discussions at a noticed board meeting since the wording of the bill allows board members to discuss all issues ahead of time by computer. And nobody will ever know what has been discussed among the board members since an arbitration ruling stated that e-mails sent and received by private computer are NOT public record. With other words: Your bill puts an end to open meetings. Board business behind closed doors will be legal again. That are just the ugly high-lights of your bill, there are quite a few more provisions that will cause serious problems – meaning more lawsuits!
Owners of property in Florida’s community associations can only hope that somebody will stop your bill from being enacted – somebody who is actually interested in the welfare of Florida’s constituents.
For eight years we had to be afraid to read the annual community association bill sponsored by George Moraitis. I have to say: You served special interest well – at the expense of your constituents!
THANK GOD FOR TERM-LIMITS!
Next year we owners don’t have to fear that a legislator named Moraitis
will sponsor another anti-owner bill!
Jan Bergemann |