Brevard County Commission backs extending state lobbyist Book's contract for another year

The Brevard County Commission says it supports extending the state lobbying contract of a firm headed by Ron Book for another year — and likely will offer him a pay raise — rather than putting the contract out to bid.

Book has more than 35 years of lobbying experience, and has more than 100 lobbying clients around the state, including other counties and cities. His firm has been Brevard County's state lobbyist since October 2016. That current contract ends May 30.

County Commissioner John Tobia had proposed extending Book's contract for three more years.

But Commissioner Rob Feltner suggested making the extension just one year, reasoning that there will be three new county commissioners after the November election, and the new commissioners should have a role deciding Book's future with the county.

Commissioners then approved Feltner's proposal by a 5-0 vote on March 12, and asked County Commission Chair Jason Steele to help negotiate a new one-year contract with Book.

Tobia seeks county elections post: County Commissioner Tobia running for Brevard supervisor of elections in 2024

DeSantis names Bobanic to fill vacancy: Tim Bobanic, Scott's IT director, appointed to replace outgoing Brevard elections chief

Both Feltner and Tobia have known Book for years, and Book has contributed to both of their election campaigns. In March 2023, for example, Book contributed $1,000 to Tobia's 2024 campaign for supervisor of elections, and Book's Aventura-based legal and lobbying business contributed an additional $1,000 to that campaign.

Tobia said those contributions did not play a role in the County Commission's debate, adding that, in the past, he has voted against other lobbyists, regardless of their contributions to his political campaigns.

Tobia said, after he saw the item on the County Commission's March 12 agenda and prior to the County Commission's vote in support of extending Book's contract, he reached out to Book to determine if Book still wanted to work as Brevard's lobbyist. Tobia said he also contacted members of Brevard's delegation to the Florida Legislature to determine what kind of relationship they had with Book.

Tobia said he determined that Book "has a very good relationship with the local delegation," as well as with Senate and House leadership. Book also is the father of Florida Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Davie.

Book is listed as a Florida legislative lobbyist for 106 entities, including four Florida counties, 20 cities, three towns, three villages and one school district. Among his corporate clients are AT&T, Florida Power & Light and FLORIDA TODAY parent company Gannett.

Under its current contract, Brevard County pays Book's firm, Ronald L. Book P.A., $60,000 a year.

Book said that is at the low end of the money his company receives from a client for lobbying services, which typically is $75,000 to $125,000 a year.

In negotiating Book's next contract after being requested to do so by the County Commission, Steele said he and Book agreed on a 20% increase to $72,000 a year. That amount would need to be approved by the full County Commission at an upcoming meeting.

Lobbyist 'extremely proud' of his work

Book said he is "extremely proud" of the work he has done as Brevard's state lobbyist.

"The relationship has worked out very well, and we hope it continues," Book said.

Steele and Tobia said Book's lobbying efforts are valuable to the county.

They said Book helped get $18.84 million in Brevard County budget requests for environmental, road and park projects into the 2024-25 state budget passed in March by the Florida Legislature, after getting $30.17 million in Brevard projects into the 2023-24 state budget. The 2024-25 appropriations await action by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has the power to veto line items in the state budget.

County Manager Frank Abbate told county commissioners that Book's firm has "done a very good job for us on a variety of issues" and is "always responsive."

Tobia said Book's connections with the governor's office and with legislators makes him "uniquely positioned" as a lobbyist.

'Lobbyists contribute to everybody's campaign'

Since 2016, Book and/or his companies have contributed to the County Commission campaigns of Feltner and Tobia; former Commissioners Bryan Lober, Curt Smith and Kristine Zonka; and current County Commission candidate Thad Altman, a current member of the Florida House of Representatives.

Book said he contributes to many political campaigns statewide when asked — and sometimes even when not asked.

Steele said there's nothing unusual about Book's political contributions in Brevard County Commission races, because "lobbyists contribute to everybody's campaign."

Steele is a former lobbyist for three Brevard municipalities, and has made campaign contributions to various candidates for County Commission and other offices over the years before becoming a commissioner in 2023.

Tobia is running in a Republican primary against current Supervisor of Elections Tim Bobanic, who was appointed to the position in 2022 by DeSantis, following the retirement of then-Supervisor of Elections Lori Scott in the middle of her term.

Bobanic received contributions totaling $2,000 from two companies affiliated with attorney and lobbyist David Ramba. Among Ramba's 49 lobbying clients in Florida is the Florida Supervisors of Elections, a professional membership organization representing the supervisors of elections of Florida’s 67 counties. Bobanic said Ramba is a personal friend he has known for more than a decade.

Bobanic is a member of the Florida Supervisors of Elections board of directors. Bobanic said, as a board member, he abstained from a recent vote to expand Ramba's role with and compensation from the Florida Supervisors of Elections.

Bobanic said he did not vote on that item because "I think all elected officials should avoid any appearance of impropriety."

Bobanic declined to comment on Tobia's role related to Book's contract extension with Brevard County.

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com, on X at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: State lobbyist Book in line to get contract extension from Brevard