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Full Disclosure: Mayor's and Commissioner's Pay

Posted: 3:10 PM Mar 30, 2012
Reporter: Andy Alcock

Full Disclosure: Mayor's and Commissioner's Pay

Tallahassee, FL -- March 30, 2012 --

Akin Akinyemi and John Marks are both elected leaders.

But under state law, they have different requirements for reporting outside income.

As Leon County Commission Chair, Akinyemi must fill out public disclosure form six.

It shows in this 2008 form for example, he made 83,200 dollars working for his architectural firm.

Former Tallahassee Mayor Scott Maddox says, "I think when you run for public office, your life is an open book. And if people wish to know where you get your funding from or your private sector job as well as your public sector one, you need to be willing to disclose that."

By contrast, under state law, Tallahassee Mayor John Marks must fill out disclosure form 1.

In his 2010 report, it shows in addition to his mayor's salary, Marks had income from his law firm, Marks & Marks, Fringe Benefits Management Company and Alliance for Digital Equality.

But the form does not require Mayor Marks to report how much money he made in those positions.

Mayor Marks says, "Where does it stop, once you give the income tax returns than next maybe you're going to want my PIN number?"

Jon Ausman with Leon County Democratic Party says, "They should voluntarily, just as the presidential candidates have disclosed their income, they should voluntarily fill out disclosure form 6 and give it to us in detail."

Former Tallahassee Mayor Scott Maddox was responsible for changing local law to push for what he calls a "leadership mayor".

And the mayor's salary reflects that change.

Tallahassee's mayor makes a little more than 72,000 dollars a year.

It's exactly double the city commissioners who make $36,000.

Maddox says, "Tallahassee is now a city, we're not a small town. We need a full time advocate as our mayor."

During his time as mayor, John Marks' disclosure forms show he's had outside income from the Knowles, Marks and Randolph law firm, Fringe Benefits Management.

Marks says "I'm on the board of directors, okay...and general counsel."

The Loen County Civic Center.... Marks says, "That's an authority here I'm appointed to."

Innovation Park.... Marks says, "Same thing."

Alliance for Digital Equality or ADE. As we've previously reported Mayor Marks made 66,000 dollars over a three-year period with ADE, and voted for a city contract for the non-proift group.

It's currently the subject of an ethics complaint and FBI investigation.

Marks says, "I was an advisor."

And Mayor Marks worked for the Miami based Adorno & Yoss law firm.

While the mayor doesn't have to disclose how much money he made in those positions, due to a Florida bar complaint, we do know how much money he made at Adorno and Yoss.

Before that firm went under, Marks made 12.500 dollars a month, more than double his salary as mayor.

All tolled he made about 700,000 dollars working for that firm while he was mayor.

Marks says, "They continued to allow me to practice law with them and be mayor of the city of Tallahassee, I'm grateful for it. You didn't see there was an issue there with divided time or loyalties? No not at all."

Ausman adds, "Do you think our current mayor is a full-time mayor? No I think he's a part-time mayor because he's working for other people at the same time."

And long-time Democrat Jon Ausman supported Mayor Marks' re-election in 2010.

Reporter: Do you have any regrets about that
Ausman: No
Reporter: Why not?
Ausman: Because I think the mayor is a much better person than his opponents were.

Marks says, "It's full time work whether the position is full time or not. I mean I work more than 40-50 hours a week."

While the mayor does have to report his participation for the Civic Center and Innovation Park Boards, he doesn't get paid for those roles.

We asked our partner TallahasseeVoices to conduct a survey about our story.

84% of respondents believe the mayor and city commissioners should have to report how much money they earn from each outside source.

54% believe the mayor should not be allowed to hold other paying jobs while serving as mayor.

83% say it's okay for city commissioners to hold other paying jobs while serving.

Please see the attached power point document for full TallahasseeVoices survey findings