LAUDERDALE LAKES --

The folks here at MAOS have called upon the Good Peoples of the Broward County Commission to request an Attorney General’s Opinion regarding Lauderdale Lakes CRA shenanigans.

We thought it would be helpful to understand just what that’s all about.

From the Florida Attorney General’s website:

I. General Nature and Purpose of Opinions

Issuing legal opinions to governmental agencies has long been a function of the Office of the Attorney General. Attorney General Opinions serve to provide legal advice on questions of statutory interpretation and can provide guidance to public bodies as an alternative to costly litigation. Opinions of the Attorney General, however, are not law. They are advisory only and are not binding in a court of law. Attorney General Opinions are intended to address only questions of law, not questions of fact, mixed questions of fact and law, or questions of executive, legislative or administrative policy.

And what will happen should the AGO issue a ruling?

You never know, but I’m willing to wager anyone $500 (a donation to the winner’s favorite charity) something along these lines:

1. The use of the $2.5 million of CRA money for City operations does not meet the requirements of Florida Statute Section 163
2. The City should not have waived interest on the late payments
3. The forbearance agreement is not valid nor legal (meaning the City would owe the $2.5 million back now)
4. Payment agreement that is part of forebearance agreement would not be legal
5. The fact that interest was not charged on the $2.5 million not legal either

Any takers on my bet?