Carlos Beruff: big political donor, a Gov. Rick Scott favorite, a powerful player
Developer Carlos Beruff has demonstrated that we have the Best Government Money Can Buy, by big business and for big business. Records show that during the past 10 years, Mr. Beruff contributed $207,650 to political candidates (Republicans) and nearly $100,000 to Gov. Rick Scott's re-election. Six of seven commissioners received campaign contributions totaling $42,500 from companies co-owned by Beruff as he attempted to push his Long Bar Pointe project on our community.
Some people call these campaign contributions. Others see them as essentially bribes in as much as greasing the palms of powerful Republicans has bought Beruff the chair of the Southwest Florida Water Management District, that in an attempt to influence environmental regulations to benefit his own personal business.
He was named as head of Scott's state panel looking into hospital profits, despite his lack of a medical background. He was appointed by Scott to the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport Authority.
And despite his lack of a college degree, he was also appointed by Scott to the State College of Florida Board of Trustees, where he worked tirelessly to remove SCF president Lars Hafner, who previously served as a Democratic state legislator -- the wrong party!
Beruff has managed to make sure that the once highly respected State College of Florida will be the only state college without continuing contracts, and where future professors could be asked to bid for their jobs, which will surely result in weakening the quality of instruction at SCF.
It is one thing to see cronyism in the state of Florida and to see wealthy people try to increase their wealth. It is quite another thing to see an individual who shows such disrespect for the environment, for our respected educational institutions and for the people of Manatee County.
Floyd Jay Winters
Bradenton
This story was originally published February 5, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Carlos Beruff: big political donor, a Gov. Rick Scott favorite, a powerful player ."