Condo & HOA Law Blog

OPEN LETTER TO GOVERNOR SCOTT

Governor Rick Scott; This legislative session has clearly shown what you - as Florida's  Governor - areall about: A promoter for special interests with little  concern for Florida's citizens and consumers. When it comes to  homeowner association reform, your agenda has been anti- consumer and especially anti-homeowner.  As a registered Republican who has voted for the Republican ticket  all my life, I am plainly disgusted with your vision of Florida. You, with  the help of "Speaker" Weatherford -- speaker in the meaning of  speaking for special interest, have killed the single most important  consumer protection bill that was filed - or forbidden to be filed - during  this legislative session... a House companion to Senator Hays'  SB 1348. Are you really convinced that you can buy the votes of us citizens by  promising to decrease our annual car-registration fees by $25? Word had it at the beginning of the legislative session that only  non-controversial bills would pass and signed by you because of  the upcoming election. In the past few weeks it became obvious  that non-controversial was supposed to mean that the bill would be  ok if not opposed by special interest. You obviously didn't care if  the bill would be very controversial in the eyes of Florida's citizens.    Do you honestly believe that collecting campaign funds from special  interests will buy you back the Governor's mansion? Do you honestly  believe that all registered Republicans will vote for you despite you  having trampled on their rights and needs with feet?    Your desire to achieve a sound bite of "no new fees" or "no increase  of government", will allow - minimum for another year - the inability for  homeowners to file a simple complaint with your DBPR in the same  way a condominium owner can when abusive association leaders act  illegally.    Your actions will allow greedy investors to continue to kick families out  of their homes who did everything their contracts asked for (H 1061  didn't even get a committee hearing). And the list of consumer-friendly  bills killed behind closed doors goes on! The anti-owner bill H807/S798 is passing with flying colors with more  nonsense added in committees! Under the cover of clarifying existing  laws this bill will do nothing but create more lawsuits - lawsuits Florida's homeowners and condo owners can ill afford. The tag team of  Moraitis/Ring has created more financial damages to Florida's  homeowners and condo owners than the hurricanes in the last ten years  together! I guess many Republican homeowners and condo owners will remember  the good old times when we had a governor who helped passing  owner-friendly bills and signed them into law: GOVERNOR CHARLIE CRIST  SIGNING COMMUNITY  ASSOCIATION BILL H 995 From left: Rep. Kevin Ambler, Rep. Julio Robaina, Rep. Franklin Sands,  Rep. Yolly Roberson,  Rep. Joe Gibbons, Senator Alex Villalobos,  Rep. Juan Zapata ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  After this for homeowners and condo owners disastrous legislative  session many of Florida's homeowners (est. 2,5 million) and condo  owners (est. 1.45 million) and their families will definitely remember  the good old times. I guess it's time for Florida's citizens to work on  much needed changes on November 4. My advice to all these  voters (using your words): "LET'S GET TO WORK!" Regards, Jan Bergemann, President Cyber Citizens For Justice, Inc.