Politics and Paperclips: Alex Sink and the DFS Vacuum of Leadership

Text Size A A A

---

Print

Tallahassee, FL – Today, the Republican Party of Florida issued the following statement on Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink’s repeated efforts to play politics with her official office, while supporting the permanent shift of authority for consumer debt collection complaints away from her own office, the Department of Financial Services (DFS), to the Office of Financial Regulation:

“It has become clear that Alex Sink would rather use her office for political gain than address the needs and concerns of Florida residents,” said Republican Party of Florida spokeswoman Katie Betta. “While Attorney General McCollum pursues expanded authority to go after abusive debt collectors, Alex Sink is shirking responsibility for tackling the serious grievances submitted by struggling Floridians.”

“Instead of taking responsibility for the duties incumbent upon her office, Alex Sink has sunk to taking unethical political hits at her opponent through her official press office, an office funded by hardworking Florida taxpayers,” said Betta.

“At every turn, Alex Sink has sacrificed what is best for Florida, instead favoring political expediency and cheap public relations stunts and gimmicks on the taxpayers’ dime,” continued Betta. “Is the Sunshine State’s Chief Financial Officer too busy counting paperclips to provide the leadership needed at the Department of Financial Services?”

Background on Debt Collection Complaints:
“Consumer Debt Collection Agencies -- Part VI of ch. 559, F.S., regulates consumer collection agencies and protects consumers from certain debt collection practices that involve fraud, harassment, threats, and other unscrupulous activities. Section 559.725, F.S., designates the Department of Financial Services (DFS) as the registry for consumer complaints. Once the DFS receives a sworn complaint against an entity, the DFS refers the complaints to the appropriate regulatory authority or the Florida Bar, if appropriate. However, in January 2008, the OFR and the DFS mutually agreed to the DFS delegating this responsibility to the regulator, the OFR.” (The Florida Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance, Interim Report 2010-103: Regulation of Debt Relief Services, October 2009, page 4).

“Designate the Office of Financial Regulation as the receiving agency for consumer debt collection complaints. Amend §559.725, Fla. Stat. (2009).”(Financial Services Commission, Suggestions to Strengthen Florida’s Consumer Collections Practice Act, 02/09/10).

Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink today side-stepped her elected responsibility to address consumer debt collection complaints, but when it comes to ordering her staff to conduct an office supply audit, the CFO has no problem taking a leadership role. To learn more about CFO Sink’s misguided priorities, please click here.

• 420 E. Jefferson Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301 OR PO BOX 311 Tallahassee, FL 32302
• Phone: 850.222.7920 / Fax: 850.681.0184
• Copyright © 2007—2010, Republican Party of Florida

• RSS | GET THE NEWS AS IT BREAKS