Update: Is the Renew Your Reitz campaign legal?

Feb 19, 2010

By Travis Pillow

Flier from the Renew Your Reitz campaign

The Fine Print has learned that Reitz Union officials are actively involved in funding and supporting the Renew Your Reitz campaign – the one with all those green banners and T-Shirts seen all over campus. They want us to “Vote Yes and Yes” for a Reitz Union expansion and new student fees that won’t be covered by Bright Futures or the Florida Prepaid Scholarship Fund.

It makes sense they would support a ballot initiative that benefits their organization. The problem is that they are a public agency, and Florida election law states:

106.113 Expenditures by local governments.–

(1) As used in this section, the term:

(a) “Local government” means:

1. A county, municipality, school district, or other political subdivision in this state; and

2. Any department, agency, board, bureau, district, commission, authority, or similar body of a county, municipality, school district, or other political subdivision of this state.

The Reitz Union and its board of managers appear to meet this definition.

(b) “Public funds” means all moneys under the jurisdiction or control of the local government.

(2) A local government or a person acting on behalf of local government may not expend or authorize the expenditure of, and a person or group may not accept, public funds for a political advertisement or electioneering communication concerning an issue, referendum, or amendment, including any state question, that is subject to a vote of the electors. This subsection does not apply to an electioneering communication from a local government or a person acting on behalf of a local government which is limited to factual information.

Members of the Student Alliance have filed an injunction claiming the campaign violates the law. They have asked the 8th Circuit Court to compell the UF administration and the Reitz Union Board of Managers to stop distributing campaign materials and to disclose how much public money they’ve spent to persuade students to vote for higher fees. “We’re not out to punish UF,” said Jonathan Ossip, a Student Alliance leader who helped submit the injunction.

Update: The 8th Circuit Court denied the Student Alliance’s motion to halt the Renew Your Reitz campaign. The case will continue after the election.

A recent e-mail from Jaleesa Joseph, the Student Chair of the Reitz Union Board of Managers to leaders of student groups in support of the same campaign raises questions about another Florida election law:

104.31 Political activities of state, county, and municipal officers and employees.–

(1) No officer or employee of the state, or of any county or municipality thereof, except as hereinafter exempted from provisions hereof, shall:

(a) Use his or her official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or a nomination of office or coercing or influencing another person’s vote or affecting the result thereof.

Here is Joseph’s e-mail in its entirety:

From: “Center for Student Activities & Involvement”
Date: February 19, 2010 8:53:13 AM EST
Subject: IMPORTANT MESSAGE from the Chair of the Board of Managers

As the Chair of the J. Wayne Reitz Union Board of Managers, I am reaching out to you – students that are familiar with the concept of service – for your help and support for the upcoming Reitz Union referendum. The Reitz Union was built in 1967, and since that time, it has become outdated and deficient to the current students needs. Consequently, the Reitz Union now requires $42.5 million dollars in structural and mechanical repairs. Without this capital investment, it’s very realistic that the Reitz Union will not be able to keep the doors open. Thus, we need your help and support to repair and rebuild the home of the students – J. Wayne Reitz Union. In the next week, we have organized a marketing campaign focused on educating the student body on not only the deficiencies of the current Union, but also the future benefits of tomorrow’s Union. Tomorrow’s Union will truly be the tangible result of today’s students’ dreams. Some of the future benefits that student organizations specifically can expect in tomorrow’s Union include:

• An Entire Floor Dedicated to Individual Organizational Suites
including lounge space and conference Rooms
• Individual Storage Space for all Student Organizations
• New Multipurpose Meeting Rooms
including Performance and Dance Spaces
• 24-Hour Access to your Organizational Suite
• An Expanded Free Printing Lab
Including oversized banners and glossy flyers
• A 1,500 Seat Auditorium
• More Restaurant Selections
including More Ethnic Options and a Sports Bar & Grill
• A New Parking Garage (750 Spaces)
including 75 free 30 min. Parking Spaces

However, none of this is possible without your help. As leaders of your respective organizations, we need your support and feedback. We have an opportunity to come together as a student body, build our dream Student Union, and leave a lasting legacy.

I would like to encourage you and the members of your organization to visit our website at www.RenewYourReitz.com, where you can get more information on the Union and also sign up to volunteer. Most importantly, I would like to encourage you and your members to go out and vote “Yes and Yes” for the Reitz Union referendum questions on Tuesday, February 23rd and Wednesday, February 24th.

Leave a legacy and Vote “Yes and Yes” for a better student experience.

Go Gators!

Jaleesa Joseph

Never mind that neither Joseph nor anyone else is in a position to promise the “ethnic” restaurants or 1,500-seat auditoriums, since specific plans for the expansion have not been released yet. The real problem is that Joseph is acting in her official capacity to influence the outcome of a referendum.

The Fine Print is awaiting replies from Reitz officials (Executive Director Eddie Daniels was not in the office today). The Office of Student Affairs, whose name is attached to the following video promoting the fee, did not respond to two phone calls seeking comment and said a reply would come on Monday.

Update: As you can see, the video has been taken down.