From our research, one of the stronger links between No Boss Mayor and the ICMA is Beth Rawlins, a Clearwater political strategist who specializes in helping Florida cities stop efforts to convert to Mayor-Council formats and to fight consolidation attempts around the state of Florida. Rawlins is who No Boss paid for its campaign materials and mailers
We found hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments to Rawlins by cities around Florida facing consolidation. Rawlins, who sits of the Local Government Awareness and Public Relations Committee of the Florida City and County Management Association, the state division of the ICMA, has been deeply involved in the following Anti-Change PACS:
• Pinellas Cities for Home Rule – Pinellas County
• No Boss Mayor – Pensacola
• Cities Against Consolidated Government
• Let us Vote Political Committee – Palm Beach Florida
We can expect to see more of Ms. Rawlins and ICMA in the future as the county and city consider consolidation.
Popularity: 22% [?]
True, just like many people on the pro and against side are not city residents. It seems fitting.
Anony, you mean the (nonelected) city manager preserve his job…we should expect a few more out of town hired guns (so to speak) since we are not able (allowed) to speak for ourselves…nice!
You left out Sarasota, ICMA helped Sarasota citizens preserve their interests.
First the $17,000 from the Washington, DC special interest group, now a Clearwater paid consultant for the Florida City Manager’s Association.
Also, who did the city mailer? Curious what firm that business went to.
Rawlins also has a history of playing fast and loose with facts. In 2005 Daytona Beach municipal elections she caused her candidate to be fined by the Florida Ethics Commission for misrepresenting the candidate was endorsed by the Daytona Beach Police Department when the endorsement was actually the Daytona Beach Police Officers Association.