In 2014, voters approved a City Charter amendment creating the Tallahassee independent Ethics Board. In December 2019, the City Commission voted to give the Board greater authority including the power to subpoena. The Board consist of seven members of which five are individually selected by the City Commission, Public Defender Office for the Second Judicial Circuit, State Attorney for the Second Judicial Circuit, President of Florida A & M University, and the President of Florida State University.

The Charter gives the Independent Ethics Board the responsibility to hire and supervise staff. The Ethics Board is required to maintain a structure that ensures independence and impartiality and provides for the maximum practicable input from citizens and community organizations. The Charter mandates that the Ethics Board be funded by the City Commission within its discretionary budgetary authority at a level sufficient to discharge the Board's responsibilities.

As specified in the Charter, the Ethics Board has the following duties and responsibilities:

• investigate complaints and levy civil penalties;
• manage a citywide ethics hotline for receipt of allegations of local corruption, fraud, waste, mismanagement, campaign finance and ethics violations;
• adopt bylaws and due process procedures for the administration of the Ethics Board;
• manage and coordinate the mandatory training of local officials, officers, employees, and board members in state and local ethics;
• refer ethics and corruption matters to appropriate enforcement agencies;
• recommend proposed ordinances, resolutions, or Charter amendments to the City Commission in all areas of ethics and corruption;
• increase awareness among City employees and City officials through written advisory opinions on the application of the ethics code;
• administer a campaign contribution refund program; and
• maintain an up-to-date citizen's ethics guide.

Executive Director

Dwight Floyd joined the Tallahassee Independent Ethics Board in February 2020 as the Executive Director and Ethics Officer. Before joining the City of Tallahassee, he served thirty-four years with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). During his tenure, he directed the training of law enforcement officers, corrections officers, and correctional probation officers statewide. He gave oversight to the development and administration of entry-level testing and state officer certification examinations. He also managed officer discipline cases for administrative hearings. He is native to Tallahassee, where he attended public schools before completing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science with Concentration in Public Administration from Florida A&M University. He is a member of the Council on Governmental Ethics and Laws.

Board Members

Seat / Designation	Appointee	Term Exp.
1 / City Commission	Ernie Paine	12/31/2023
2 / Public Defender, 2nd Judicial Court	Ruby Barr	12/31/2022
3 / State Attorney, 2nd Judicial Court	Gwen Graham	12/31/2021
4 / President of FSU	Robyn Blank	12/31/2023
5 / President of FAMU	Bryan F. Smith	12/31/2022
6 / At-large Seat 1	Carlos Rey	12/31/2021
7 / At-large Seat 2	Kristen S. Costa	12/31/2022

Staff

• Lucy Atkins - Administrative Assistant
• John Reid - Board Attorney

Contact Information

Interested parties may contact the Board via e-mail or phone at 850-891-6551.

The Ethics Office manages a citywide ethics hotline for receipt of allegations of local corruption, fraud, waste, mismanagement, campaign finance and ethics violations. Report and ethics violation at 850-891-6550.

To file a written complaint, please download and complete the complaint form (PDF) and mail to: Ethics Officer, 300 South Adams Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301.

To report other issues:

• Discrimination Issues, call Equity and Workforce Development at 850-891-8290
• Worker's Compensation Fraud Issues, call Risk Management at 850-891-2117
• Employee Relation Issues, call Human Resources at 850-891-8331

In 2014, a group of citizens obtained enough signatures to place on the ballot the question of whether City of Tallahassee citizens wanted to establish a campaign contribution refund program (CCRP) for mayoral and commission races, in conjunction with establishment of an Independent Ethics Board. In November 2014 City voters passed a City Charter amendment that established the Independent Ethics Board and the refund program for voters in City election. The CCRP is administered by the Independent Ethics Board and the refunds are paid through the City of Tallahassee’s general revenue fund. The maximum amount any individual can obtain through the CCRP is $25. Additionally, no individual may contribute more than $250 to a filed candidate for municipal office and contributions to write-in candidates are not eligible for a refund. To get a refund, someone must:

• Be a registered elector of the City of Tallahassee at the time the contribution was made;
• Contribute to a filed candidate for City office in the calendar year the election occurs; and
• Complete a Refund Claim Form (PDF) and provide official receipts provided by the candidate’s principal campaign committee by January 20, 2021.

The objective of the program is to enhance small-donor participation in the local election process. This program is the first of its kind in the nation.

Campaign Contribution Refund Process (PDF)

Refund Claim Form (PDF)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why does the City of Tallahassee have a Campaign Contribution Refund Program (CCRP)?
In 2014, a group of citizens obtained enough signatures to place on the ballot the question of whether the city residents wanted to establish a campaign contribution refund program for mayoral and commission races, in conjunction with establishment of an Independent Ethics Board. In November 2014 City voters passed a Charter Amendment that established the Independent Ethics Board and the refund program for voters in City election.

What seats are open on the City Commission in 2020?
Commission seats #1 and #2.

Who may obtain a refund?
A registered voter in the City of Tallahassee can receive up to $25 back if he or she makes a financial contribution to a city commission candidate. The contributor must make the contribution in the calendar year in which the election occurs. The contributor must complete a Refund Claim Form (PDF) and file it along with a receipt from the candidate’s campaign treasurer.

Who pays for the refund to eligible citizens?
The payments come from the City’s general revenue funds.

Who is in charge of running the program?
The Independent Ethics Board is in charge of setting up the process for documenting, verifying and approving Refund Claim Forms. Once the Independent Ethics Office verifies that the donor lives in the City of Tallahassee, is a registered City elector and donated to a City Commission candidate in 2020, City of Tallahassee staff will process the refund.

I am running for a Commission seat. What am I required to do?
Please submit samples of receipt forms you are using to Independent Ethics Officer Dwight Floyd by July 1, 2020 so that those can be used to verify contributions. You must also provide every contributor with a receipt upon request. This receipt can be either paper or electronic.

I donated to a candidate but gave more than $25. May I get back the entire amount?
No. The maximum amount for refunds is $25.

I donated to a candidate in 2018. May I get a refund of that contribution?
No. Refunds are limited to contributions made in the calendar year the election occurs.

I donated to several candidates in 2020. May I get a refund for all of those contributions?
You may submit a Refund Claim Form (PDF) and include receipts for all of your donations in 2020. However, the maximum amount that will be refunded to any donor is $25. So, if you donated $10 to Candidate Smith and $15 to Candidate Jones, you would be refunded the total amount of your contributions to both candidates, since the total is $25. However, if you donated $100 to Candidate Smith and $50 to Candidate Jones, you could only receive a maximum of a $25 refund. You are limited to one $25 refund per election cycle.

I live outside of the City limits but donated to a City Commission candidate. May I receive a refund?
No. Refunds are limited to individuals who are registered to vote and live in the City of Tallahassee.

I donated to a City Commission candidate but am not registered to vote in the City of Tallahassee. May I get a refund?
No. You must be registered to vote in the City of Tallahassee to receive a refund.

When should I expect a refund?
You should expect a refund no later than early April 2021, depending on when you file the form.

I am a registered voter in the City of Tallahassee and donated to a City Commission candidate. How do I get my refund?
Complete the Refund Claim Form (PDF). Include receipts verifying your contribution and send via email to electionsrefund@talgov.com. You may also send via US Mail or deliver in person to Independent Ethics Board, 300 South Adams Street, A-25, Tallahassee, Florida 32301. Your refund claim form and receipts must be received no later than January 15, 2021.

The candidate I donated to didn’t end up qualifying to appear on the ballot. May I still get a refund for that donation?
Yes. As long as the candidate appoints a campaign treasurer, designates a primary depository and makes monthly contribution reports, you may receive a refund for donations made to that individual.