Responding to a story posted in REDBROWARD yesterday regarding their failure to meet the automatic union recertification threshold, the Broward Teachers Union called the matter “fake news.” In a Facebook post, the Union said “To all Members ! [BTU President] Anna [Fusco] will be sending an email to clear up all fake news.” REDBROWARD published details on BTU’s union certification issues contained in an email from Broward Schools Chief People Person David Azzarito.
In May 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 256 which “prohibited teachers’ unions from using government resources to have dues deducted directly from employee paychecks.” The law also required a union to be comprised of least 60% of dues paying employees.
The new law went into effect on July 1, 2023.
In an August 23, 2024 email to numerous District officials, Azzarito said the Broward Teachers Union did not meet the sixty percent threshold.
Azzarito said “All 3 BTU units fell below the 60% paying membership threshold to automatically recertify.” In order to petition the Florida Public Employees Realtions Commission (PERC) to an hold election to recertify the union, thirty percent of the membership must sign “interest cards.”
Azzarito said BTU met the thirty percent threshold.
As part of the process, once BTU meets the thirty percent threshold, it has thirty days to petition PERC for an election. In that election, fifty percent plus one of the respondents must vote to approve recertification.
According to the PERC website, there is no election set to recertify the Broward Teachers Union.
A database of State records complied by WLRN news shows the Broward Teachers Union filed its certification paperwork on April 16, 2024.
The BTU reported there were 13,724 eligible employees in the District. The BTU reported 7,178 dues-paying members.
This is 52.30%. Well below the sixty percent threshold.
Will the Broward Teachers Union allege emails from David Azzarito to School District officials are “fake news?”
Does BTU claim the State of Florida PERC website is “fake news?”
Does BTU think WLRN (public radio and television) is “fake news?”
Will BTU President answer questions at the next School Board meeting during her “union time?”
Multiple political committees tied to Tamarac Commissioner Marlon Bolton are facing $500 per day fines for failing to report financial transactions, State records show. Political committees were required to file campaign reports by June 10, 2024. One week later, the State of Florida sent “fail to file” letters to the Conservative Governance committee, Broward Vision PAC and the Friends Of Marlon Bolton.
According to the letter, the State will levy a $25/day fine for the first three days. After the third day, the fine grows to $500 per day.
Conservative Governance and Broward Vision PAC are fronted by Malucci Joseph and Trace Robinson—allies and members of Bolton’s Praise Experience Church in North Lauderdale.
Bolton himself is the chairman and treasurer of the Tallahassee-based Friends Of Marlon Bolton political committee.
The failure to file required financial reports came just days after fellow Tamarac Commissioner Elvin Villalobos questioned contributions by potential City vendors.
During a May 6, 2024 city workshop, Commissioner Elvin Villalobos asked Bolton to recuse himself because an applicant made more than $20,000 in contributions to the Broward Vision PAC. Villalobos stated the contributions were made by Coastal Waste & Recycling. Bolton refused to recuse himself and voted to recommend Coastal.
Two days later, Villalobos repeated his request during the Tamarac City Commission meeting. “I’m going to request Commissioner Marlon Bolton recuses himself from voting on this item…he received $20,000 from a PAC he manages and…should disqualify him,” Villalobos said. Bolton did not recuse himself. Villalobos said, “One of our commissioners receiving $20,000 to vote in favor of a company—that is my main issue.”
State of Florida records show contributions by Coastal Waste & Recycling to the Broward Vision PAC. On January 7, 2022, Coastal made a $5,000 contribution to Broward Vision.
On February 15, 2023, Coastal made a $15,000 contribution to Broward Vision.
State records also show Coastal made a $500 contribution on December 9, 2023 to the Friends Of Marlon Bolton PAC.
On March 26, 2024 Broward Vision PAC made a $5,500 contribution to the Friends of Marlon Bolton PAC.
BROWARD VISION
In 2021, REDBROWARD exposed the deep ties between Broward Vision PAC and Marlon Bolton.
In September 2019, Trace Robinson created the Broward Vision PAC political committee using the same post office box address used by businesses owned by Marlon Bolton.
Florida business records list Marlon Bolton and Trace Robinson as owners of The Driven Project, Praise Experience Worldwide Outreach Church, and South Florida Theological Seminary, Inc.
According to financial reports filed with the State of Florida, Broward Vision PAC has paid more than $52,000 to companies with close ties to Marlon Bolton.
Since its formation, Broward Vision PAC paid $1,400 to Exy Consultants, a fictitious corporation created under the Happy Feet Advertising LLC name by Robinson. Exy Consultants used the same P.O. Box 451711 address as Marlon Bolton. Trace Robinson is the founder of Happy Feet Advertising.
Florida business records show the post office box address used by Happy Feet Advertising has been used by Marlon Bolton since at least 2014. These businesses include Tyson Bolton and Associates, Forecast Holdings, LLC, Prophet Fire, and Win Without War.
In March 2023, Broward Vision Pac paid $16,000 to Happy Feet Advertising. Since 2022, Broward Vision paid nearly $44,000 to Happy Feet Advertising.
In March 2024, Broward Vision paid $809 to Forecast Holdings LLC, another company owned by Marlon Bolton. According to records, the amount was for “reimbursement staff transportation” to an event hosted by Broward Vision.
Bolton said little about the large contributions by Coastal Waste.
According to Tamarac Talk, Bolton said, “My decisions are never impacted by who gives campaign contributions or not … It’s not based on who supports who or what.”
Last month, REDBROWARD revealed campaign materials promoting Marlon Bolton were paid for by the mysterious Broward Vision PAC. REDBROWARD obtained photographs of “door hangers” left at the home of a Tamarac residents. According to a disclaimer on the “door hangers” they were paid for by Broward Vision PAC.
In March, Broward Vision PAC made a $5,500 contribution to the Friends of Marlon Bolton committee.
While the committee uses a Tallahassee UPS Store as its address, its phone number is (954) 500-8683.
Using the letters on the telephone keypad, 8683 translates to VOTE.
The Broward Vision PAC “door hangers” promoting Marlon Bolton urges residents to call (954) 500-VOTE for more information about the Commissioner.
So, just as questions were raised about the propriety of vendors making large contributions to these PACs tied to Marlon Bolton, these same committees failed to disclose money raised and spent by them?
But, these same committees were able to produce campaign literature promoting Marlon Bolton?
Websites store cookies to enhance functionality and personalise your experience. You can manage your preferences, but blocking some cookies may impact site performance and services.
Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper function of the website.
Name
Description
Duration
Cookie Preferences
This cookie is used to store the user's cookie consent preferences.
