COMMENTARY
“Speaking of financial models, I also wonder if Campbell, apparently new to the Vero Beach power story, is aware of the “financial model” Heran floated in late 2009 showing the City would net $156.5 million on the sale. That number is now basically down to zero, and the ratepayers are being asked to kick in millions to help pay FPL’s costs of acquiring the system.”
MARK SCHUMANN
The Internet and social media have made possible monumental advancements in the rapid dissemination of information and misinformation. “I read it on the internet,” has become, at once, a means of proof and a jest. Now more then ever, it is important for discerning consumers of news and information to not believe everything they read.
Take for example a recent “Tweet” from Scripps Stuart-based columnist, Rich Campbell, to his colleague, Larry Reisman. “Charlie Wilson: public records request shows George Christopher been on phone 171X in a month with FMPA.”
What is now known from the claim Wilson made at the latest pro-FPL Taxpayer’s Association luncheon, which featured presentations by Glenn Heran and Pilar Turner, is that Wilson is both mean-spirited and apparently incapable of understanding the phone records provided him as a result of a public records request.
Wilson was before the City Council last night, again accusing a private citizen of communicating with the FMPA, as if gathering information is treasonous. Last night, though, Wilson had pared his claim down to some 100 calls he said Christopher made to the FMPA. After Christopher defended and explained himself, Wilson was again before the Council, this time eating salted crow. Campbell’s “Tweet” of misinformation remains posted on TCPalm.com.
Through his “Tweeting” and in two recent columns, Campbell’s reporting on the Vero Beach power story has been about as thoughtful and balanced as the “Lemmon droppings” served up regularly by Scripps Vero-based pundit, Russ Lemmon. With no better grasp of the complexities of the power sale issues than Lemmon has demonstrated, Campbell actually believes without question what he hears from the likes of Glenn Heran and Pilar Turner, two well-practiced and extremely effective pro-FPL propagandists. See also: Heran’s bull-in-the-China-shop style of diplomacy is only making negotiations more difficult and Turner should be replaced as City’s representative on FMPA board
Reporting/repeating what he heard at last week’s Taxpayers’ Association luncheon, Campbell wrote, “Guest speakers Glen Heran, a certified public accountant who built a model showing how the sale would benefit the city…”
I wonder if Campbell is aware certified public accountants at the now defunct Arthur Anderson accounting firm signed off on the annual financial reports for Enron, a corporation who’s demise caused trusting investors to lose billions of dollars. Knowing what I know about Heran’s political and lobbying activities on behalf of FPL, when he tosses around his credentials as a CPA, I cannot help but think, “So what.”
Speaking of financial models, I also wonder if Campbell, apparently new to the Vero Beach power story, is aware of the “financial model” Heran floated in late 2009 showing the City would net $156.5 million on the sale. That number is now basically down to zero, and the ratepayers are being asked to kick in millions to help pay FPL’s costs of acquiring the system.
The commentary and “Tweets” of Scripps pundits Rich Campbell and Russ Lemmon service as reminder not to believe everything you read.
Below is the 2009 financial model prepared by Glenn Heran and shared by Dr. Stephen Faherty to then city council candidate Ken Daige in a effort to elicit Daige’s support for the sale.
Indian River Guardian 
If I worked for Scripps, I suppose it would be smart to follow the lead on the FPL deal – or look for another job.
During the Watergate era, the public learned the value of “follow the money.” Now decades later the warning is still of value. However, it now must be extended beyond just the road that taxpayer dollars flow. Now a cautious person, follows the trail of money to determine where a proponent or opponent on an issue gets the source for their own personal funding. This is why campaign finance laws are so valuable. It is also the reason that prudence dictates that “follow the money” should now be considered in regard to civic activists and those seeking political office — even at the local level.
The cautionary advice to “follow the money” also applies to journalists, All too often the one “reporting” the news has been informed of the mandate that the corporation has dictated.
A taxpayer is well served by checking the flow of money going to a candidate for public office. It is often quite revealing particularly when research shows that the funding is coming from outside of the affected community.