April 24, 2009
ALERT ON HB 1121
HB 1121 may be placed on the Florida House of Representative’s calendar next week for a vote. We are urging that citizens in Collier County contact their local legislators by email and by telephone immediately to voice their opposition to HB 1121. The bill proposes changing the fundamental constitutional office of the Clerk of Courts by:
1. Changing the appropriations and budgeting process
2. Transferring the Clerk’s duties to the Courts
3. Placing a 2 year moratorium on technology spending
Please send an emailand make a telephone call to your local legislators today stating your opposition to HB 1121.
Let’s keep an independent, publically elected, Clerk of Courts to serve the public interest.
Thank you for your active support.
Respectfully,
Dwight E. Brock
Clerk of the Circuit Court, Collier County
PS. By clicking on the email link you can send a note to all legistators at the same time. Telephone numbers are available by clicking on telephone.
March 9, 2009
CITIZENS ALERT: POWER GRAB THREATENS CHECKS AND BALANCES
Dear Collier County citizens,
Last week, the Florida Legislature introduced a bill, SB 2108 and HB1121 proposing to shift court related services and responsibilities from the Clerk of the Circuit Court to Court Administration, an organization which reports directly to the Judiciary. This change, if adopted, would eliminate the system of checks and balances in government as we know it today.
The Clerk of the Circuit Court, an elected official, has historically performed the court related services on behalf of the citizens and, in the process, ensured that a system of checks and balances was in place and operated in the public interest. This system of government has worked well for the citizens of Florida for over 100 years.
In addition, the bill would have wide ranging impact on who collects, disburses and uses court fines and fees to fund the Florida court system. If passed, the judges would have the ability to set and collect fines and/or fees and then allocate those same funds to pay for their salary, support staff and office expenses. The term “cash register justice” describes what could potentially result if this legislative effort is successful. All control of the court system would then be in the hands of the lawyers and the judges. It is likely this change will result in higher taxes to support the larger court system and bureaucracy.
Finally, the bill was filed by Representative Ellyn Bogdanoff right before the legislative session began with little public knowledge or debate.
As a concerned citizen and public official, I urge you to contact your local legislator and Governor Crist today and tell them that you want checks and balances in state government, including the court system, and that you support an independently elected Clerk of Courts who performs these functions on behalf of the public.
I ask you to send an email, letter or make a telephone call to your local legislators today.
In this note I have included a link to the proposed legislation and legislator contact lists for your convenience.
Respectfully,
Dwight E. Brock, Clerk
Contact Lists:
Local Legislators Email List(one click to populate all for emails for LL)
FL Senators and Representatives (email list)
Email Naples Daily News
Email The News-Press
Related Articles:
Power Grab Threatens Checks and Balances,
By Dwight Brock, NDN, March, 2009
Rep. Seeks to Hold Clerks Accountable,
By Brent Batten, NDN, March 8, 2009
Clerk Serve as Essential Public Function
Tampa Tribune, March 5, 2009
Court Clerks Assailed in Tallahassee
By Brent Batten, NDN, March 5, 2009
Clerks ask Supreme Court to keep judges from sealing cases
by Matthew Doig, Herald Tribune, September 8, 2006
Clerks of Court Fact Sheet
Clerks of Court Fact vs. Myth
Clerk of Court Comparative Views about Article V Budgeting
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