2 more Florida local officials resign over new financial disclosure law

Two more city council members resigned just before the new year citing a new state law mandating a more stringent financial disclosure form than in previous years.

William O'Connor and Casandra Jones of Orange City say Form 6, which has been used by state and county elected officials in the past, asks questions too invasive to disclose publicly for them to continue to serve. Officeholders including the governor, senators, representatives, district attorneys, sheriffs, county council, and school board members have all had to complete that disclosure form for years.

Now, as of Jan. 1, all locally elected officials are required to complete the form, which asks for net worth and all assets worth $1,000 or more, including holdings in bank accounts, retirement funds and stocks, in addition to the sources and amounts of their income.

In 2022 and prior years, city commissioners and council members were required to complete a Form 1, which asks for the sources of their income; property they own; stocks, bonds and certificates of deposit; ownership of businesses; and the names and addresses of creditors.

O'Connor, first elected in 2016, is also a candidate for mayor. He had not pulled out of that race as of Tuesday.

He said in his resignation letter, dated Friday, he had a "heavy heart and a bit of disgust in our Tallahassee legislators."

The disclosure of assets valued at $1,000 or greater has "no bearing" on his work as a city councilman while also invading his privacy.

"It would also require me to have family heirlooms and antiques to be appraised and announced to the world," O'Connor wrote. "Making my personal assets public record puts me and my family at immediate risk from scammers and potential robbers."

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Jones, who was elected to a four-year term in 2022, offered a similar critique of the new law, which aims to provide citizens with more information to help assess ethical conflicts.

"I find it truly abhorrent that this piece of legislation was allowed to pass, and that none of us were aware, until this late date, of the extensive and invasive overreach into what is and should remain our personal lives," Jones wrote in her resignation letter dated Dec. 29 at 4:29 p.m.

"With our nation in its current state of turmoil, I do not feel safe sharing details of my assets and personal finances in such a manner that anyone with a keyboard and curiosity can simply look it up online," she added.

Last week, two Daytona Beach Shores commissioners resigned citing similar concerns, as have locally elected officials in cities across Florida.

Orange City Clerk Kaley Burleson said on Jan. 9 the council will discuss how to proceed with filling the two vacancies.

One of the vacancies is for an at-large seat, for which all city residents can apply, while the other is for District 1, meaning only residents who live within the district's south-side boundaries will be eligible for consideration as a replacement.

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This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: 'Abhorrent' new law: Orange City council members resign over Form 6