Lobbyist Stumping For School Bonds
BY BUDDY NEVINS
The invitations are out.
Pro-school bond political committee fund raiser is scheduled for Tuesday, September 30 in upscale surroundings — the new waterfront ballroom at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts along the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
One of those distributing the invitations: Lobbyist George Platt.
Lobbyists George Platt (on the right) and Seth Platt
George Platt currently isn’t registered as a School Board lobbyist. His son Seth Platt, a senior associate at the same LSN Partners lobbying firm as his father, is on the 2014 lobbyist registration list representing U. S. Legal Services, a voluntary employee benefit that offers legal help to personnel that want it.
George Platt was lobbying last year for Learn-It-Systems, which designs and sells academic programs. Below is the School Board log entry where he visited a Board member to complain about the procurement process.
Maybe he should have hired Joseph Goldstein, a procurement attorney at Shutts & Bowen. Goldstein, whose specialty is government contracts, is one of the only three contributors so far to the pro-bonds Citizens for Safe and Modern Schools.
Goldstein gave $2,500. His law firm Shutts & Bowen kicked in another $2,500.
Downtown Fort Lauderdale investor Alan Levy contributed another $5,000 through the Levy Charitable Foundation.
I expect the Broward Workshop – Levy is a mover-and-shaker inside this group of downtown business types – to donate six figures to the pro-bond effort shortly.
My question is will Platt and Goldstein forgo any future business from the School Board’s $800 million bond? Don’t hold your breath.
September 23rd, 2014 at 10:09 am
Lobbyists and the entities they represent universally expect and get at least 10x back in business when they donate to tax increases and political campaigns.
But it’s for the kids, isn’t it? That’s what they said in 1995 “A penny for the kids.”
And I replied, “No, it’s a billion bucks for the big players” They lost 71-29.
No different this time, only $800K instead of a billion.
September 23rd, 2014 at 1:01 pm
He spoke at the last meeting about the unfair practices on the prepaid legal services. They (the board leadership) played their TYPICAL games and he talked about how it was not correct and the board should act. While leadership was speaking to this issue…he called out liars.
TODAY he is in support of them getting MORE money so they can screw with people??
Here is HIM speaking before the board 9/16/14
http://youtu.be/dNvqHZOVaag
September 23rd, 2014 at 1:49 pm
Like a wolf smells blood, these gents smell money.
September 23rd, 2014 at 4:17 pm
If it wasn’t for bad moves, Runcie and SMART would have no moves.
September 23rd, 2014 at 5:40 pm
The lobbyists fill a vacuum created by an apathetic electorate. It is a sad situation that is way too prevalent in south Florida. The lobbyists get fat at the trough filled by the taxpayers.
September 25th, 2014 at 9:43 pm
It’s always about the money
The crossword puzzle is not about the kids
He is a better Neil Sterling
Track the construction companies
Who will make the money it’s other people’s money
Platt a fellow we should trust