Ethics Commission: No disclosure from Bryan

Warning that he had “checked into” the backgrounds of certain residents who object to his support of increased property taxes, Historic City News discovered that every county commissioner has met their July 1st obligation to report their assets and liabilities to the Florida Commission on Ethics — except Chairman Joseph “Ken” Bryan.

Bryan’s draconian support of a .75 mil increase in property tax assessments, proposed by County Administrator Michael Wanchick, turned violent at the last Town Hall meeting when Commissioner Bryan erupted into an intense, emotional outburst directed at a resident who Bryan had removed from the meeting.

The financial disclosure required by state law indicates the net worth of politicians, like Ken Bryan, and certain other officials, whose financial interest in the business of government can be compromised.  This was the case with former commissioner Thomas G. Manuel — who was arrested for taking bribes, convicted, and is today serving his sentence for public corruption in a federal prison.

In a commission meeting, subsequent to the Town Hall meeting, Bryan issued what some observers took to be a veiled threat against those who do not support the millage increase; saying that he had checked into their “backgrounds” and determined that they needed to get “their own financial houses in order”.

“The disclosure process serves to remind officials of their obligation to put the public interest above personal considerations,” the Florida Commission on Ethics told Historic City News when we made our inquiry.  “It also helps citizens to monitor the considerations of those who spend their tax dollars and participate in public policy decisions or administration.”

No word on when Commissioner Bryan intends to comply with the financial disclosure requirement.  The Florida Commission on Ethics said that the report should have been on file six weeks ago, some of the other St. Johns County commissioners had it in a month early.

Financial disclosure status as of August 15, 2011:

224736	Joseph Bryan	Form 6 with COE	Form Receipt Not Recorded
236620	John Morris	Form 6 with COE	6/1/2011
99874	Cyndi Stevenson	Form 6 with COE	6/16/2011
213169	Ronald Sanchez	Form 6 with COE	6/20/2011
224739	Mark Miner	Form 6 with COE	6/28/2011

Photo credits: © 2011 Historic City News contributed photograph