In a stunning display of pure hypocrisy, lobbyist Judy Stern appears to be using the Fort Lauderdale Charter Revision Board to change residency requirements for City Manager Greg Chavarria. As chair of the Charter Revision Board, Stern wants a requirement that a city manager lives in Fort Lauderdale. Stern and her allies have questioned why Chavarria’s family lives in another Broward County city.
Stern had no such concerns when her clients were accused of violating the Florida Constitution residency requirements by leaders of the Florida Legislature and even the Broward County Property Appraiser. One Florida lawmaker even used an apartment owned by Stern to avoid the residency requirement.
In 2013, this reporter investigated the residency of then-State Senator Maria Sachs. While her husband lived on vast horse farm in western Palm Beach county, Sachs claimed she lived in a small condominium behind the Galleria Mall in Fort Lauderdale. Why? The Sachs farm in Palm Beach was outside the district Sachs represented.
The Florida Constitution requires Florida lawmakers to live in the district they represent.
The Stern condominium was in Sachs’ district.
In April 2013, this reporter visited the condominium. A neighbor said nobody lived there but the unit was owned by Judy Stern.
Maria Sachs told the Miami Herald, “ “Judy Stern and I go back many many years — before I started in the legislature. We’re girlfriends,’’ Sachs said. “I didn’t know that those were her clients I think because she never lobbied me.’’
In June 2013, Judy Stern told The Tampa Bay Times that Sachs gave her $950 a month, by check, for rent.
The matter was raised in a Senate confirmation hearing for Barbra Stern, the daughter of Judy Stern. According to The Miami Herald, Barbra Stern claimed her mother bought the condo for her to use while attending law school. Barbra Stern claimed she moved and her mother rented unit to Sachs.
“My mom has rented it before. I’ve never asked questions about the lease, because I don’t get any involvement in it,’’ Barbra Stern said. She added that she does not keep track of her mothers’ business deals because “I choose not to know certain things.”
ANOTHER STERN CLIENT VIOLATED RESIDENCY
Also in 2013, this reporter exposed how then House Minority Leader Perry Thurston violated residency requirements.
Thurston and his wife owned a two story home in Plantation. Unfortunately, the family home was outside the boundaries of Thurston’s House district. On official documents, Thurston claimed he lived in a small Fort Lauderdale home with his elderly mother and his brother.
WPLG Channel 10 reporter Bob Norman confronted Thurston outside his Plantation home.
“Are you supposed to be living here, Perry? Can I talk with you a second?” asked Norman.
WPLG Channel 10
“Nah,” replied Thurston.
“You’re not in your district,” said Norman.
“I am,” said Thurston, who then shut the door on Norman.
Thurston claimed a homestead exemption on his Plantation home which requires it to be his primary residence. Since he claimed to live in Fort Lauderdale, then-Broward Property Appraiser Lori Parrish conducted an investigation. Parrish determined Thurston violated the homestead exemption law and pulled his tax break.
AND ANOTHER ONE
State Representative Joe Gibbons was another Judy Stern ally with serious residency requirements. Gibbons claimed to live in a Hallandale Beach condominium while his wife and children lived in Jacksonville.
According to The Sun Sentinel, “Gibbons’ family living arrangement sparked the concern of the Broward County Property Appraiser and the Broward State Attorney’s Office, both of which investigated in 2010 whether he’d falsely claimed his Hallandale Beach condo was his permanent homestead.”
As in the Thurston case, the Broward Property Appraiser yanked Gibbons’ homestead exemption on his Hallandale Beach residence.
RECENT RESIDENCY ISSUE FOR STERN ALLY
Late last year, questions about the residency of newly elected Fort Lauderdale Commissioner John Herbst was raised by his opponents. The matter was dropped before the Commission was to decide whether or not to seat Herbst.
Herbst used Judy Stern as his campaign consultant. Herbst’s attorney in a lawsuit against the City of Fort Lauderdale is Barbra Stern.
After all these years why is Judy Stern so interested in residency requirements?
