Welcome to

A state lawmaker wants to crack down on city, county, and state workers who steal from taxpayers. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, current law doesn’t’t require stolen cash to be repaid.

A former Department of Revenue employee was given probation in 2013 after she stole more than 14 thousand dollars in sales taxes from the state. She was ordered to pay the money back…but at the rate of a dollar a month. The judge didn’t even have to order that. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Ft. Walton Beach) wants to fix that.  “So, I’ve authored legislation to require a payback of monies that have been stolen to the taxpayers.”

Gaetz has filed legislation giving judges no choice but to order anyone working for a city county or state agency and caught stealing from their employer to pay the money back.

“In the State of Florida, if a government official steals money, there’s no requirement in the law today that that money actually be paid back at the conclusion of someone’s sentence.

The payback requirement would apply to anyone, from a bus driver caught stealing to the mayor of a city.”

Paying back the stolen money would be on top of any other sentence. Public relations expert Ron Sachs polled the idea and says it resonates with taxpayers. “There’s huge public support in Florida among the voting public, 87 percent, for getting restitution from any public official, elected or appointed, who steals from taxpayers.”

The legislation also requires judges to impose 250 hours of community service…without exception, on top of the restitution and possible jail time.

The judge in the case did not disclose why she ordered thousands of dollars in restitution to be paid back at the rate of a dollar a month. Under the order, it would be hundreds of years before taxpayers are made whole.