Florida Retail Federation notifies City of Gainesville that its shopping cart ordinance violates Florida law
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Retail Federation has sent a letter to the City of Gainesville, notifying the City that its shopping cart ordinance violates Florida law.
The ordinance, which was adopted in 2020, reads, “Every business that makes more than ten shopping carts available to customers shall install and maintain a city approved retention system to retain all shopping carts within the premises of the business location, including any parking area the business has authority to use. Any business failing to implement or properly maintain a city approved retention system is in violation of this article”
The Florida Retail Federation (FRF) wrote that it wanted to make the City aware of a recent opinion issued by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier; the opinion, issued on January 21, states:
“Section 506.5131 expressly preempts municipal ordinances that allow a municipality to: require a business owner to submit a shopping cart retention plan to the municipality; deny a shopping cart retention plan; impose a monetary penalty for failing to submit and adhere to a shopping cart retention plan; or require a business to install a retention system to retain shopping carts within the real property of a business so long as the ordinance was enacted before January 31, 2002, or after June 30, 2002.”
The FRF concluded the letter by saying, “Accordingly, we believe that your current shopping cart ordinance is in violation of Florida law. We appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to any corrective action deemed necessary.”
The City of Gainesville did not respond to our request for comment before the publication deadline.
Also, local law enforcement needs to arrest those who steal shopping carts for personal use.
Wow, important issue here.
Would be more effective for po po to just arrest those in possession of these stolen carts. Word would get around to not be caught with a cart.
Gainesville City Commission loses again. Maybe file a appeal or lawsuit Ward needs more citizen paid lawyer fees.
Publix strikes again. Payoffs work!,
Between 2016 and 2022, Publix doled out $10.6 million to Florida politicians, most of which went to Republicans.
The Plastic Bag Connection
Publix’s political influence intersects directly with plastic bag policy through two channels:
1. Direct legislative support: Among the bills advancing in the Florida Legislature that align with Publix’s interests is House Bill 1641, which would stop cities and counties from regulating plastic shopping bags and other single-use plastic containers.
2. The Florida Retail Federation (FRF): The FRF is one of the most powerful political forces in Florida, representing huge corporations including Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Target, and Publix. The group pushed state lawmakers to block plastic bag bans across Florida, and when the city of Surfside passed a sweeping ban on most single-use plastics, the FRF sent a threatening letter hinting it could sue the town to overturn the ban — and recoup attorneys’ fees and damages from local taxpayers.
Publix was responsible for almost 86% of the FRF’s total funds in 2018. The FRF has lobbied against issues including banning cities from banning plastic bags.
The City needs to tax law firms for attracting and keeping homeless ex-cons and current caseloads camping in our woods, streets, and squatting illegally, necessitating the shopping cart abuse situation created by the City’s campaign donor lawyers.
ACLUSPLCDNC 👹👿💩🤡👺
It would be more productive to do what Aldi’s has been doing with their shopping carts. But then again that would be work for the Business. Nobody yet has come up with a sure fire way to cure the wayward shopping cart debacle