HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo to Mayor and Commissioners re Electronic FilingCITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA
INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
Honorable Mayor and
Members of the City Commission
Todd B. Hannon
City Clerk
DATE:
SUBJECT:
REFERENCES:
ENCLOSURES:
May 2, 2017
FILE :
Electronic Filing System to be used
by City of Miami Candidates to
Submit Campaign Treasurer
Reports
The Florida Legislature requires all candidates for state offices to file their campaign
treasurer reports electronically. Additionally, the Miami -Dade County Board of County
Commissioners requires all candidates for county office to file their campaign treasurer
reports electronically.
Electronic filing of campaign treasurer reports offers dynamic functions and benefits to
candidates and their treasurers. Campaign treasurers will find electronic filing easy to
use. Contribution/expenditure totals, as well as balances carried forward from the last
report are computed electronically, eliminating such manual errors as
addition/subtraction, transpositions, and figures inadvertently posted to the wrong
column. No special software is required by candidates and their treasurers to use the
electronic filing system. Access to the system is available through a link on the City's
website using a unique "Candidate Numeric ID" and password. Electronic filing will
also allow candidates and their campaign treasurers to submit their reports by using PIN
numbers, eliminating the need for physical signatures. This feature will dramatically
change the manner in which candidates and treasurers submit their reports and allow for a
much easier and efficient process.
Additionally, electronic filing of campaign treasurer reports will significantly enhance
transparency. The public and news media will easily be able to access information
associated with campaign contributions via a link on the City's website. The link used to
access this information does not require a username or password, allowing anyone to
view the information by simply clicking on the link. Information stored in the database
can be printed or exported into an Excel spreadsheet for all reporting periods.
It is important to note that Florida Statute Section 106.07(2)(a)(2) states, "[t]his
subsection does not prohibit the governing body of a political subdivision, by ordinance
or resolution, from imposing upon its own officers and candidates electronic filing
requirements....Expenditure of public funds for such a purpose is deemed to be for a
valid public purpose." Considering the importance that the Florida Legislature associated
with electronic filing, and the specific reference that funds for electronic filing are
deemed to be for a valid public purpose, the Miami City Commission has the authority to
require electronic filing of candidates running for elected office in the City.
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Finally, I am recommending that the campaign treasurer report due on August 10, 2017,
be the first report required using the electronic filing system. This timeline should
provide enough time for the assignment of candidate numeric IDs/passwords as well as
training for candidates and treasurers.
If you have any questions regarding this information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
TBH: SF
c. Daniel J. Alfonso, City Manager
Victoria Mendez, City Attorney
George K. Wysong, Assistant City Attorney
Anna Medina, Agenda Coordinator
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