Our Government At Work

Here's a triple dipper

By LUCY MORGAN
Times Senior Correspondent

TALLAHASSEE — At a time when Florida’s universities are facing millions of dollars in budget cuts, Florida State University has hired a prominent state senator to coordinate a new reading program in her home county.

Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach, is being paid $120,000 a year to work on a program she helped create and fund.

Lynn also happens to be chairwoman of the Senate’s Higher Education Appropriations Committee, with great influence over university budgets.

“It’s just a coincidence,’’ said FSU President T.K. Wetherell, a former House speaker and appropriations chair who is widely known for his wily political dealings with the Legislature.

“I see no conflict considering we have no money this year,’’ Lynn said when asked if the new job is appropriate for a lawmaker with so much influence over university budgets.

The job makes Lynn a “triple dipper.’’ She draws a $3,100 a month retirement check that she earned as a career educator in Volusia County, her $31,000 a year legislative salary, and $120,000 a year from FSU.

Lynn, 78, has a doctorate in education from the University of Florida and was a teacher, reading and language arts supervisor and assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in Volusia County before retiring in 1989.

Lynn is the second senator hired by one of the state’s major universities this year, the latest example of part-time jobs given to lawmakers by public institutions with budgets that depend on the Legislature.

The University of Florida hired Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Melbourne, chairman of the Senate Finance and Tax Committee. He is paid $75,000 a year as a lecturer, a salary more in line with those paid to tenured professors.

Apparently the Florida Senate needs to provide some remedial ethics training to the majority caucus. All together now. Can you say “conflict of interest”……………

 

Conflict of interest can be defined as any situation in which an individual or corporation (either private or governmental) is in a position to exploit a professional or official capacity in some way for their personal or corporate benefit.

Depending upon the law or rules related to a particular organization, the existence of a conflict of interest may not, in and of itself, be evidence of wrongdoing. In fact, for many professionals, it is virtually impossible to avoid having conflicts of interest from time to time. A conflict of interest can, however, become a legal matter for example when an individual tries (and/or succeeds in) influencing the outcome of a decision, for personal benefit. A director or executive of a corporation will be subject to legal liability if a conflict of interest breaches their Duty of Loyalty.

There often is confusion over these two situations. Someone accused of a conflict of interest may deny that a conflict exists because he/she did not act improperly. In fact, a conflict of interest does exist even if there are no improper acts as a result of it. (One way to understand this is to use the term "conflict of roles". A person with two roles - an individual who owns stock and is also a government official, for example - may experience situations where those two roles conflict. The conflict can be mitigated - see below - but it still exists. In and of itself, having two roles is not illegal, but the differing roles will certainly provide an incentive for improper acts in some circumstances.)