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SICK AND TIRED OF BEING POLITICALLY CORRECT!
By
Jan Bergemann
Published
February 26, 2016
Let’s face it: This country is being
destroyed because too many people – especially our elected
officials – always want to be politically correct. Our political
system stinks: It’s all about money – and that’s why about 2,500
so-called service-providers here in Florida can hold about 2.5
million homeowners living in Florida’s mandatory homeowners’
associations hostage.
Let’s face it: The service-providers
are better organized than the homeowners and come with piles of
campaign donations to the legislators – money gladly accepted by
people like Senator Joe Negron who wants to be the Senate
President next year. Our constitutional rights and the system of
equal rights for all are trampled with feet in Florida’s
community associations.
All community association members – no
matter HOA, Condo, Co-Op or Mobile Homes – should be treated
equally by our laws. And that is definitely not the case.
Look at the issue of a Regulatory
Agency: Owners of property in Condos, Co-Ops and Mobile
Homes pay $4 annually – legislators claim to be used in the
Condo Trust Fund for the Division of
Florida Condominiums,
Timeshares, and Mobile Homes. But guess what: More than half of
that money is being used for other purposes than intended. The
money just “disappears” in the general tax fund and leaves the
Division underfunded. What kind of “talent” can you expect to
hire when you offer ridiculous low wages?
Or take Fining: This dictatorial tool is still allowed in
Florida’s community associations despite the fact that the US
Constitution clearly states that only government agencies can
“fine” citizens. And community associations are anything but
government agencies.
The Supreme Courts of
Rhode Island and Virginia have already ruled that “fining” in
community associations is unconstitutional. No more fining by
associations in the states.
But here in Florida
the HOA ACT even allows fines to be turned into
liens and family’s homes can be foreclosed upon for fines levied
without due process – another constitutional right trampled with
feet.
Honestly, I really
see no other way than going to court fighting for our rights,
since it’s obvious that our legislators – bought and paid for by
special interest – can’t be convinced to listen to reason.
How good are new laws
added each year if these laws can only be enforced by owners
with lots of money to spare. Justice only for the RICH?
I don’t think it’s “CREATING CHAOS” when citizens
turn to courts to fight for their rights if they don’t want to
live any longer in GULAGS! It’s fighting for rights given
to us by our Constitution!
How bad is our
political system if the elected officials are willing to ignore
the US Constitution?
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Jan Bergemann is president of Cyber Citizens For Justice,
Florida
's largest state-wide property owners' advocacy group.
CCFJ works on legislation to help owners living in
community
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associations. He moved to
Florida
in 1995 - hoping to retire. He moved into a HOA, where the
developer cheated the homeowners and used the association dues
for his own purposes. End of retirement!
CCFJ was born in the year 2000, when some owners met in
Tallahassee
- finding out that power is only in numbers. Bergemann was a
member of Governor Jeb Bush's HOA Task force in 2003/2004.
The organization has two websites to inform interested
Florida
homeowners and condo owners:
News Website: http://www.ccfj.net/.
Educational Website: http://www.ccfjfoundation.net/.
We think that only owners can really represent owners, since all
service providers surely have a different interest! We are
trying to create owner-friendly laws, but the best laws are
useless without enforcement. And enforcement is totally lacking
in
Florida
!
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