The Community Advocacy Network (CAN, www.canfl.com), Florida's leading voice for the interests of millions of community association residents statewide, today recognized Florida State Rep. George Moraitis (Ft. Lauderdale) as the recipient of its 2011 “Community Advocacy Network Legislator of the Year Award” for outstanding legislative contributions toward the best interests and well-being of community associations across the State of Florida.
Presented in a special ceremony during CAN’s first-annual “Legislative Roundtable” event held here today, the organization’s 2011 Legislator of the Year Award was bestowed on Rep. Moraitis for his sponsorship of key community association legislation and his staunch defense of community association interests during the 2011 Florida Legislative Session in Tallahassee.
The Legislator of the Year Award ceremony and Legislative Roundtable took place on the new Margate, Florida campus of the Katzman Garfinkel & Berger Law and Learning Center and was attended by nearly 200 community association Board members and leaders of umbrella organizations from throughout South Florida, including the Communities of West Boynton, the Delray Alliance, the Broward Coalition, Kings Point, Century Village, Wynmoor, Pelican Bay, Gulfside and others.
Also in attendance were representatives of Florida Gov. Rick Scott and CFO Jeff Atwater, as well as leading Florida lawmakers who participated in a discussion with attendees on the current and anticipated impact of Florida legislation on the State’s more than 60,000 community associations. In addition to Rep. Moraitis, legislators participating in the Roundtable discussion included State Reps. Julie Julien (N. Miami Beach), Daphne Campbell (Miami), Ari Porth (Coral Springs), Hazel Rogers (Lauderdale Lakes), Lori Berman (Delray Beach), Tracy Stafford (Wilton Manors), Gwyn Clarke-Reed (Deerfield Beach) and Matt Hudson (Naples), as well as staff from the offices of nearly a dozen other South Florida state legislators.
During the Legislator of the Year Award ceremony, Rep. Moraitis was praised for his key role as principal sponsor of HB 1195, legislation that contains important measures that will serve to protect community associations from unnecessary regulation, while preserving safeguards that help them to maintain their communities’ well-being in the face of ongoing economic challenges that continue to beset associations throughout the State.
“The Community Advocacy Network is proud to present this first-annual CAN Legislator of the Year Award to Rep. Moraitis, who managed to marshal key community association legislation through the lawmaking process in Tallahassee like a veteran, even though this was his first year serving in the State Legislature,” said Donna DiMaggio Berger, CAN Executive Director and Managing Partner of the law firm of Katzman Garfinkel & Berger. “Our CAN members are extremely grateful for his diligence and dedication to the issues that are so important to the well-being of so many of our Florida community associations.”
“I’d like to thank the Community Advocacy Network team for having provided invaluable assistance in ensuring that we passed a great bill this Session,” said Rep. Moraitis, in acceptance of the CAN Legislator of the Year Award. “I have received several compliments from other members and attribute much of the success to your participation and advocacy on behalf of our association residents.”
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