PRIVATE PARTY FOR PANTHERS ARENA BACKERS

     The city of Sunrise threw a $26,000 "invitation-only bash"
last week to thank the Panthers and county leaders for choosing
to build a new arena there, with party expenses paid through
money that Sunrise City Manager Pat Salerno "solicited earlier
this year from three firms with longstanding city contracts,"
according to Larry Lebowitz in the Fort Lauderdale SUN SENTINEL.
Lebowitz writes that "while there is nothing illegal about asking
city vendors to donate for city functions, it sometimes raises
perception questions from good-government advocates."  Sally
Spencer, Exec Dir of Florida Common Cause: "We are concerned
about these types of entities that make contributions if they are
trying to win the favor of elected officials."  Salerno has
raised "more than" $60,000 in private donations for the arena
cause.  One donor, Sawgrass Mills mall, is adjacent to the arena
site, and "will benefit from increased traffic the arena would
draw" (Fort Lauderdale SUN SENTINEL, 10/19).