To the Esteemed Members of the Florida Legislature:

We, the undersigned residents of the City of Belleair Beach and concerned citizens throughout the entire state of Florida, petition the Legislature to address the critical and far-reaching consequences of SB 774 on small municipalities like ours.

While we support transparency and accountability, the current implementation of SB 774 places an undue and potentially damaging burden on our community, threatening our local government itself and silencing the voices of small towns across the state.

Unlike the state, counties and cities with larger populations and vast resources, Belleair Beach relies heavily on dedicated volunteers. These individuals, often juggling full-time careers and families, choose to sacrifice their time and energy to serve without compensation. They are driven by a desire to contribute to their community, not for personal gain. Yet, the complex and time-consuming financial disclosure requirements of SB 774 are proving to be a significant disincentive, deterring these very individuals from stepping forward.

Full financial disclosure can be damaging for successful people who simply want to volunteer. It exposes their personal business interests and private lives to unnecessary scrutiny, potentially leading to harassment or even jeopardizing their businesses. This creates a chilling effect, discouraging valuable contributors from offering their expertise and leadership.

In Belleair Beach, the consequences are already dire and escalating:

• Four city council members have resigned in protest of the onerous burdens imposed by SB 774, while others are highly unlikely to seek re-election.
• We faced the unprecedented crisis of having only two qualified candidates for five open seats, forcing us to cancel our March election due to a lack of candidates to fill the positions.
• We are forced to reduce the number of city council members simply to comply with our own charter.

These are not isolated incidents. Small municipalities across Florida are facing similar challenges, risking a silencing of diverse voices and a loss of essential expertise at the local level.

Furthermore, we believe the Legislature is being hypocritical in holding us to their same standards for financial disclosure. The Florida Sunshine Law, which mandates transparency in government, does not apply to the Legislature itself. This creates a double standard, placing an unfair and potentially damaging burden on unpaid volunteers at the local level while protecting state legislators from similar scrutiny.

Therefore, we petition the Legislature to consider the following:

• Implement financial assistance programs to help small municipalities comply with the new disclosure requirements, easing the burden on volunteers.
• Explore streamlined disclosure forms, such as Form 1, that maintain transparency while reducing the complexity and intrusiveness of the process, especially for unpaid volunteers.
• Establish clear guidelines to protect the privacy and safety of elected officials and their families from unnecessary exposure.
• Consider exemptions or modifications to SB 774 for small municipalities with limited resources, unique challenges, and a heavy reliance on volunteerism. This could include simplified forms, adjusted thresholds for disclosure based on population or salary, or even exemptions for municipalities entirely focused on volunteer service.
• Address the inconsistency in transparency by extending the Sunshine Law to encompass the Florida Legislature. This would demonstrate a commitment to true transparency and ensure a level playing field for all public servants.

Let us not allow SB 774 to stifle the voices and leadership of small communities. We urge you to reconsider this one-size-fits-all approach and develop solutions that recognize the unique realities of small towns, the dedication of volunteer-driven service, and the potential damage full financial disclosure can inflict on those simply wanting to give back to their community. By working together, we can ensure the well-being of our communities and encourage these dedicated individuals to continue serving the public good.

Please sign this petition and show your support for small communities, local voices, true transparency in government, and protecting those who want to volunteer without undue risk!

Please share this petition with your Florida friends and family!

Together, we can make a difference!

#SaveSmallTowns #FairDisclosure #SupportVolunteers #NoHypocrisyInTransparency #ProtectCommunityVolunteerism