Florida
Sarasota Co. Commission approves deal for Moran-led financing agency to do business
As Sarasota County Commissioner Mike Moran is engaged in a legal battle between most Florida tax collectors and a financing agency for energy efficient home improvements that he leads, the commission he chairs unanimously approved a deal with that agency at a Tuesday meeting.
Moran is the executive director of Florida PACE, which stands for Property Assessed Clean Energy, a governmental organization. The term-limited County Commission chairman is also running for the office of Sarasota County Tax Collector.
The County Commission first provided PACE with local authorization in 2017 – Moran’s first year on the board.
But in January 2023, the county received a letter from PACE stating that the program had “independent authority to carry out its mission of offering PACE financing statewide, without requiring additional efforts from individual counties or cities.” The Sarasota County administrator then informed the board that a new agreement with Florida PACE would not be pursued.
However, since then, Florida PACE requested to renew a formal agreement.
Nonprofit funding cut: Sarasota foundations urge do-over after county commission changed nonprofit funding rules
Moran abstained from the Tuesday vote, which passed 4-0, but also referenced an opinion several years ago by the Florida Commission on Ethics that he said cleared him from criticism of a conflict of interest when he lobbied for the program in Sarasota County two years before he was offered a position with it.
In a memo to the county administrator, Sarasota UF/IFAS Extension Director Lee Hayes Byron wrote that the proposed PACE programs would not impact the county budget.
“It is the responsibility of each PACE Local Government and (Third-Party Administrators) to secure the private financing necessary for the implementation of the program and to work with the Property Appraiser and Tax Collector to levy the assessments,” Byron wrote. “There would be minimal county staff time involved in overseeing program implementation.”
PACE programs were created to provide a financing option for owners who had difficulty accessing traditional credit options or without the cash for needed home improvements. Improvements include rooftop solar panels, solar water heaters, energy-efficient air conditioning units, cool roofs, impact windows, insulation and more, according to the Sarasota County website.
With the County Commission’s vote of approval, PACE providers will now begin to negotiate agreements with the Tax Collector and Property Appraiser offices. Byron’s memo said that PACE must provide documentation that “the program design meets state and local requirements” before it can enter into financing agreements with Sarasota County property owners.
Asked how the board’s vote would affect her office, Sarasota Tax Collector Barbara Ford-Coates told the Herald-Tribune she “had the same question,” and is consulting with legal counsel.
Property Appraiser Bill Furst did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
Florida PACE program raises objections among tax collectors
Moran’s income as the head of Florida PACE is more than $194,000 a year, according to his financial disclosure forms. Since the commissioner became executive director, his net worth has more than doubled – from about $621,000 in 2020 to over $1.5 million as of April 2024.
Tax collectors have objected to the agency he leads and filed a collective lawsuit that is before the Florida Supreme Court. Florida PACE won a ruling from a lower court that the organization claims allows it to operate throughout Florida without local oversight. The Attorney General’s Office criticized how Florida PACE achieved that victory.
“In this case, the Florida PACE Funding Agency pulled a fast one, smuggling into a bond validation order rulings that purport to shield it from consumer-protection regulations by all of Florida’s local governments,” Deputy Solicitor General Kevin A. Golembiewski wrote in a brief for the Supreme Court case filed on June 17.
The 2022 bond validation proceeding allows Florida PACE to sidestep local requirements while at the same time forcing tax collectors across the state in essence to be the program’s debt collection agency, whether they agree to participate in the program or not.
Tax collectors argue the program lacks consumer protections given that PACE loans have the power to force the sale of property if Florida homeowners fall behind on payments.
The program has also been blasted by consumer advocacy groups for a lack of transparency, above-market interest rates, and inadequate protections for homeowners. There are no income qualification requirements and those who cannot pay their loans risk a tax lien against their property and could lose their houses.
The ordinance passed by the County Commission also includes indemnification agreements between the county and two Delaware-based PACE funding companies: FortiFi Financial and Home Run Financing.
Moran has previously told the Herald-Tribune he would resign from Florida PACE if he won his campaign to become tax collector. Moran faces Charles A. Bear in the Republican primary for the chance to take on Ford-Coates in the November general election.
Derek Gilliam contributed to this story.
Christian Casale covers local government for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Email him at ccasale@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @vanityhack
TAMPA, Fla – New SNAP restrictions will start Monday in Florida.
What we know:
These changes will ban the purchase of many sugary sodas, energy drinks, candy and ultra-processed, shelf-stable prepared desserts.
Hunger Free America, an advocacy group, is against these restrictions.
Joel Berg, the CEO, said some regulation is a good thing, but he wants to see it support access to healthy foods as a choice.
“We do support mandates to mandate that healthier food is available in stores that do accept SNAP,” Berg said. “So, it makes a lot more sense to make it easier to get healthier food.”
Berg said these restrictions are unnecessary in achieving a healthier America.
“We should make America healthier again by making healthy food more affordable, convenient and physically available,” Berg said. “We shouldn’t micromanage the eating patterns of adults to try to achieve that goal.”
The other side:
This is part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said, “Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic disease epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long.”
What they’re saying:
Berg said that these changes, on top of cuts to the program nationwide, will increase hunger.
“It’s not that low-income Americans don’t want healthier food; it’s that they can’t afford healthier food,” Berg said.
This coincides with the announcement that there will be cuts to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which supplies food to mothers and young children.
“President Trump’s budget just announced that he’s proposing taking away fruits and vegetables from the WIC program for pregnant women and children under five,” Berg said. “So, they’re taking away healthier food.”
The WIC cuts would take away $1.4 billion in fruit and vegetable benefits from 5.4 million people.
Big picture view:
The SNAP changes come as part of the MAHA movement and include more than 20 other states that will implement changes over the next two years.
The Source: Information in this story comes from WIC, SNAP and interviews done by Fox 13’s Danielle Zulkosky.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — The engines are revving for one final day of high-stakes bidding and family fun at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach auction reaches its grand finale today with an action-packed “Super Saturday” lineup, promising to close out the weekend with a full slate of collector car sales, live entertainment, and fan attractions.
“Super Saturday,” presented by Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, officially kicks off at 8 a.m. when gates, food courts, and the exhibitor marketplace open to the public.
What to expect
- 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: The Fantasy Bid presented by Dodge begins early, running in tandem with the automobilia auction in the arena.
- 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Thrill-seekers can catch Dodge thrill rides on the Barrett-Jackson Performance Track.
- 10:00 a.m.: New amenities open to the public, including the Stella Artois, Staging Lanes, and Food Court patios, which offer shaded seating and auction views.
- 10:45 a.m.: The national anthem will be performed in the auction arena, signaling the start of the main collector car auction at 11 a.m.
- Afternoon Entertainment: DJ sets run from noon to 5 p.m. across the various patios, and a detailing clinic by Adam’s Polishes is scheduled for 2 p.m. near the South Showcase.
For those unable to attend, the whole event will be livestreamed throughout the day on the Barrett-Jackson website and the HISTORY channel from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Today’s finale comes on the heels of a high-energy Friday that saw significant sales and notable celebrity interest.
Star power was evident throughout the day, particularly with vehicles tied to the Busch family. A 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible owned by Samantha Busch and a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 Custom Coupe were among the day’s heavy hitters, each fetching $159,500. Kyle Busch’s 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Custom Coupe also drew a strong bid, selling for $143,000.
Other Friday highlights included:
- 1968 Ford Mustang Eleanor Replica: $137,500
- 2004 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Mamba Edition: $132,000
- 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Custom SUV: $126,500
- 1957 Ford Thunderbird Custom Convertible: $121,000
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
With a festival-style atmosphere and high-profile sales driving momentum, organizers expect a busy crowd for the final push at the auction block today.
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