ASSOCIATION REFORMS - THE OPPOSITION

An Opinion By Jan Bergemann
President, Cyber Citizens For Justice, Inc.

Edited January 28, 2010

CALL is the lobbying arm of the law firm of Becker & Poliakoff, the biggest law firm in Florida specializing in association law. Not surprisingly, it is also the law firm that draws the most bitter complaints from owners who allege to have been injured by B & P’s abusive methods.

When it became obvious that the CAI failed to convince the public that it represents homeowners' interests, Becker & Poliakoff invented the idea to form a lobbying group. CALL was born and it relies upon "retainer"-dues paid by association boards to create another public relation machine to lobby for the interests of the service providers, mainly the attorneys.

It turned out that especially long-term board presidents were willing to join CALL -- board presidents who already face criticism in their own communities. The actual paying membership of CALL has no say in the election of the CALL board – and no say in the politics that CALL pursues!

The members of the so-called leadership team are co-directors David G. Muller and Yeline Goin and lobbyist Travis Moore. Especially after the departure of many well-known association attorneys, who switched over to the law firm of KatzmanGarfinkelRosenbaum, CALL has lost much of its former legislative punch. I guess Becker & Poliakoff has to get used to the fact that they are no longer "THE LEADING ASSOCIATION LAW FIRM" in Florida.

Recent results of board elections and recalls have rattled the cages of many long-term board presidents. It's pretty obvious that certain boards are afraid of losing power and owners might find out what really happened behind closed doors. Because mismanagement is so common, many of these board members cannot stand the thought of the owners knowing what they really do and how badly they do it.

CALL is in my opinion just another failed attempt to distract the public and legislators from the many real problems owners face when they live in associations! If you look at the CALL supporters, you know exactly where they are coming from!

CALL is just another one of the groups that fails to use factual arguments to promote their cause. Just like the bully in the schoolyard, they will do abusive things and spread false allegations. Inappropriate name-calling is just one of the many sleazy actions used by these organizations to wreak havoc upon the lives of private citizens.

CALL clearly is a lobbying group created by attorneys, run by attorneys and existing for the benefit of attorneys -- but partially paid for by homeowners' money. Worst of all, these homeowners don't even know that their dues are being used to fight owner-friendly laws in Tallahassee!

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