Sheriff Candidates - Secret Finances Or Bumbling Idiots?

Wilson - Only Sheriff Candidate To Accurately Disclose Finances?

MOORE HAVEN, FL. -- Glades Sheriff Stuart Whiddon says his net worth is $126,846. Whiddon  gave his financial disclosures under oath as of December 2007 to the Florida Commission on Ethics division in Tallahassee as required by law for all officeholders. Whiddon incorrectly lists his salary of $100,946 as an "asset," an IRA worth $40,000 and $5,300 in savings. On the debit side of the ledger, he had $29,400 in bank loans.

It would appear Whiddon has made an error filing his financial statement, showing his salary as an asset thus increasing his reported net worth falsely by $100,000.  Whiddon's Glades county $100,946 salary as Sheriff is not an "asset" as he has filed, but income.  Taking into consideration this misstatement, his true net worth appears to be much lower than he states.  His actual true net worth being his savings and IRA totalling $45,300 less his loans of $29,400, which would bring his net worth to only $15,900, not the  $126,846 he said under oath on the financial disclosure statement.

Whiddon's financial statement under oath would seem to leave doubts about his financial abilities as the head of a county Sheriff's department, as he has made apparent mistakes in filling out the form, while a Sheriff, the county's chief law enforcement officen, earning over $100,000 yearly with a personal net worth of only $15,900 seems dubious.

Cardoso Does Not Fully Disclose His Assets, No Income?

Candidate for Glades Sheriff Gilberto Cardoso says his net worth is $263,200 on February 11, 2008, but has declined to state what $243,304 of this amount includes. He includes $1,600 in household goods as his assets, and on the debit side, credit cards and loans outstanding totaling $21,476. He shows no income and doesn't report any other assets other than household goods on the forms signed under oath and provided to the Glades County Elections Supervisor.

Under oath, Cardoso is apparently not fully disclosing his finances since the numbers don't add up. Cardoso for whatever reason has neglected to state the value and location of some $243,304 of his reported assets as required by state statute, and has no reported income, he says. His most valuable listed asset was a $600 refrigerator.

The Only Honest Candidate?

Robert Wilson may be the only "honest" candidate in the Glades Sheriff race, or in any event the only one who with the ability to properly fill out a simple financial disclosure form as required by Florida Statutes. Penalties for failing to make the required disclosures under F.S. 112.317  include disqualification from being on the ballot and civil penalties to $10,000.

Candidate Robert Anthony  "Tony" Wilson show a net worth of $63,261, including a Moore Haven home worth $300,000 and household goods at $50,000. His liabilities include a mortgage of $253,059 and three other loans totaling $33,678.

Wilson appears to be the only candidate who is accurately reporting his assets and liabilities as required by law of all candidates for Sheriff. Wilson states his income including retirement from the State of Florida at $50,861, $27,644 from American Maritime Office, and $300 from Broward Community College.

Complete Filing Disclosures can be seen at: http://www.voteglades.com/localcandidates.html