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2014 Op. Fla. Att'y Gen. 1 (2014)

handle is hein.sag/sagfl0094 and id is 1 raw text is: Advisory Legal Opinion - AGO 2014-01

Number: AGO 2014-01
Date: February 13, 2014
Subject: Counties -- Lobbying
Mr. Chip Fletcher
Hillsborough County Attorney
Post Office Box 1110
Tampa, Florida 33601
RE: COUNTIES - COUNTY FUNDS - SPECIAL DISTRICTS - HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
CIVIL SERVICE BOARD - use of funds to hire lobbyist. Ch. 2000-445,
Laws of Fla.
Dear Mr. Fletcher:
On behalf of the Hillsborough County Commission, the Hillsborough
County Administrator, and the Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit
Court, you ask the following question:
Does the Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court have the legal
authority to use county funds to pay expenditures incurred by the
Hillsborough County Civil Service Board under a contract with a
government relations business entity that will represent the interests
of the Board in the State of Florida legislative process?
In sum:
While the appropriation of funds by the Hillsborough County Commission
for use by the Hillsborough County Civil Service Board to hire a
lobbying firm to represent the interest of the Board may be considered
by the clerk of courts as a reliable basis for the legality of such an
expenditure, it would appear that the civil service board's enabling
legislation does not directly or by implication authorize the Board to
contract with a lobbying firm to represent its interest before the
Florida Legislature.
You state that the Hillsborough County Civil Service Board (board) is
considering the engagement of a lobbying firm to represent the
interest of the board before the Florida Legislature under a contract

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