A first-of-its kind study released Monday by the Center for Public Integrity, which assess transparency, accountability and anti-corruption mechanisms in all 50 states, gives Florida a poor rating.
The State Integrity Investigation assigns Florida an overall C- grade and ranks the state 18th, along with 18 other states that got c’s.
The study uses several indicators to establish a states overall ranking.
See below how Florida ranked on some key indicators:
Public Access to Information—————–D+
Political Financing—————————D-
State Budget Process————————C-
Lobbying Disclosure————————-D
Ethics Enforcement Agencies—————-F
Legislative Accountability——————-C
Redistricting——————————–A
No state in the union earned an A grade according to the results of the study. Five states earned a B grade. They are: New Jersey, Connecticut, Washington, California, and Nebraska.
Eight states earned an “F” grade. They are: Michigan, North Dakota, South Carolina, Maine, Virginia, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Georgia.
The dismal performance by states across the board, despite ethics, open records and disclosure laws is due to one key feature, they lack teeth, said Tim Potts, executive director of the nonprofit advocacy group Democracy Rising PA, which works to inspire citizen trust in government.
“A good law isn’t worth anything if it’s not enforced,” Potts said in a statement.
First the corruption report last month that showed Blagojevich’s own Illinois (and Chicago) leading the pack, and Florida trailing not far behind…now this State Integrity report. I’m sure the previous month’s “winners” are glad to have not taken the crown this time around. But seriously, I truly hope these reports lead to much needed change. If the public takes these findings seriously and subsequently starts demanding that our leaders be held accountable then I’m sure some long-lasting improvements may result from the harsh truths revealed by the data presented in these reports. The corruption, lack of integrity, and lack of accountability is both sad and endemic. On a related note, a jurisdiction in Florida is now inadvertently setting itself up for an election fiasco that involves a corrupt judge who has several co-conspirators. You can’t make this stuff up…unfortunately it’s 100% true and corroborated by two reports and extensive irrefutable evidence that is in the possession of agencies, including those within Florida’s 8th Judicial Circuit (and Chief Judge Martha Lott and Chief Investigator Spencer Mann). The judge, and former prosecutor, at the heart of the issue is David P. Kreider. Take a look at
http://www.complaints.com/2012/march/14/Corrupt_Judge_David_P._Kreider_now_taints_the_ele_264712.htm
for more information. I say prison sentences for all those who think they are above the law, especially public servants whom we should be able to trust. Then and only then will the governmental paradigm undergo the shift that is so dearly needed. Unfortunately the lack of ethics, lack of honor, and lack of concern for one’s fellow man has infected governments worldwide on both an institutional and cultural level.