Weston has a long list of distinguished residents who ran for or held public office,  who chose to fulfill a higher calling to public service by running for a seat on the City Commission.  Contrary to certain opinions, they are not doing so for financial gain.  The Mayor’s salary is approximately $19,800 per year and a City Commissioner’s salary is approximately $15,300 per year.  Considering the number of meetings, trainings, public engagements and other obligations, the work demands full time attention on a part time salary.

For local government to work effectively, we rely on citizens who are willing to sacrifice time from their “real jobs” and families to campaign tirelessly and, if lucky, serve.  Since the potential income is not a major motivator, it is in the community’s best interest to keep the barriers to running for office minimal. 

The City Charter defines a limited number of qualifications to serve including:  a written notice of candidacy submitted to the City Clerk, a $100 filing fee, and certain residency requirements including at least one year of prior residency in the City (for the Mayor) or in a “Residential Seat Area” (for each Commissioner). 

There are additional requirements mandated by the State of Florida, including a financial disclosure designed to provide transparency, identify potential conflicts of interest, and deter corruption.  Until recently, candidates and elected officials have been required to file what is called “Form 1”.  It requires local elected officials and candidates to list their sources of income, property and assets, along with businesses that they may own or have a stake in.  Form 1 does not require disclosure of specific dollar amounts.

New State legislation passed last summer now requires candidates for, and holders of, city elected office to file a more comprehensive Form 6 disclosure.  Form 6 requires much more detailed reporting of personal information that could be considered very intrusive.  It requires the disclosure of assets and liabilities of more than $1,000 and specific dollar amounts.  It also requires filers to list the exact amount of their net worth and income.  In some circumstances, certain private employees may have contractual agreements that prohibit these disclosures. Federal officials, including the President, are not required to share this extent of personal information.

At a recent publicly noticed Workshop of the Weston City Commission, concerns about the intrusiveness of Form 6 were discussed.  In this time of digital risk with the storage of personal, identifiable data, there are legitimate safety concerns as well, including burglary, extortion, and identity theft.  While no current Weston elected official has indicated they may resign over the new requirements, there are stories across the state of others who are doing so.  Of unanimous concern is the belief that the intrusiveness of Form 6 may discourage good people from running for public office in the future. 

Transparency is something Weston takes great pride in, and Form 1 has been an effective tool that properly balances the public interest with individual privacy rights protected by the Florida Constitution. Should an opportunity present itself to challenge this new requirement in the courts, the City Commission has indicated that it may be willing to join other communities across Florida who share similar concerns.  Ultimately, we want every Weston resident who is interested in running for local public office to be able to do so without surrendering their right to privacy and the safety of their families.

- Donald Decker, Weston City Manager