Lazy Local Officials Mean You'll Pay $4.75
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami) — When your kids turn in their homework late, you don't get punished for it. However, because 4,000 state and local officials and public employees turn in theirs late, you will.
The government employees missed Florida's July 1 financial disclosure deadline.
It will cost taxpayers $4.75 to send a certified letter to each of the 4,284 violators — a total of $20,349 — according to Florida Ethics Commission Executive Director Virlinda Doss.
Doss said they'll be notified there's a grace period until Sept. 4. After that they'll face an automatic fine of $25 for every day that disclosures are late up to a maxim of $1,500.
Citizens can also file complaints with the commission against officials or employees who file late or not at all. Those complaints can lead to additional fines of up to $10,000.
The commission, though, has little power to enforce the fines.
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