COMMENTARY

MARK SCHUMANN

A day after Vero Beach’s municipal election, Press Journal columnist Larry Reisman finally got around to reporting what he has surely known for more than a month. Namely that the flood of political advertising supporting candidates Harry Howle and Val Zudans, and attacking other candidates, was largely funded by Florida Power and Light, a corporation that has business before the City.

Reisman wrote, “The committee, Clean Sweep for a Brighter Tomorrow, through Oct. 30, spent nearly $30,000 with the Press Journal and its website, TCPalm.com, according to state records. The committee’s big supporter was FPL, which made $100,000 in donations in late September and early October. About $15,000 more came from Indian River Shores homeowners supporting a sale.”

In the interest of transparency, Vero Beach’s voters deserved to have this information before they went to the polls.  Vero Beach voters may well be fine electing Council members who are beholden to FPL and other outside interests, but at least they deserve timely and accurate reporting on the sources of campaign contributions.  Holding this information until the day after the election smacks of favoritism on Reisman’s part.