A detailed form dutifully filed each year by State Rep. Marlene O’Toole, clearly showed that she was being paid by Take Stock in Children.
The Florida Commission on Ethics recently found that O’Toole did not disclose her dual role as an employee of the non-profit and as vice chair of the House Education Appropriations Committee that approved $6 million for Take Stock in Children in the 2013-14 budget. Despite the ethics commission’s finding, the Florida House of Representatives Rules, Calendar & Ethics Committee opted not to punish O’Toole, a Republican who resides in The Villages.
The case has generated some not-so-flattering headlines for O’Toole around the state, including a fierce bashing from Orlando Sentinel columnist Lauren Ritchie.
But local supporters of O’Toole point to the Full and Public Disclosure of Financial Interest Form 6 filed each year by public officials. They say it is proof positive that she never intended to hide anything.
And O’Toole backers point out that it was O’Tooles’ political rival Will Pruitt, who once ran against O’Toole for the 33rd District House seat, who made the complaint against the legislator.
She has also emphatically stated that she was never paid with money Take Stock in Children was provided by the state. Her salary is drawn from money raised privately, according to her office.
The Florida Commission on Ethics in Tallahassee on Thursday verified that O’Toole had filed a Form 6 each year she has been in office. Documents reviewed by Villages-News.com show that she listed income from Take Stock in Children.
Here’s a look at the information provided by the most recent Form 6 filed by O’Toole on June 13, 2014.
She lists four sources of annual income:
• $45,897.36 from the IBM Pension Plan. She spent the bulk of her professional career at IBM.
• $50,000 from Take Stock in Children.
• $28,307 from the State of Florida, her legislative salary.
• $31,992 from Social Security.
In addition to completing the form, O’Toole took the extra step of tacking on another page which further detailed her assets and liabilities.
Her assets include:
• Her home on Del Mar Drive in The Villages valued at $171,630.
• One hundred and thirty-seven shares of IBM stock valued at $25,602.
• An IBM 401K valued at $165,773.
• A Florida Retirement System investment plan valued at $86,716.
• A checking account at Bank of American in Lady Lake with a value of $54,389.
Her liabilities include:
• An automobile loan through BB&T Bank in The Villages for $14,957.
• A mortgage on her home through Bank of America for $129,476.
• And a golf cart loan for $11,858.
