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Local Officials Sitting on Community Boards
Tuesday, March 1st, 2011
Robert Wechsler
I don't usually turn over an entire blog post to someone else, although I would like very much to do it. This
letter
to the editor by Kevin Haggerty, the Lackawanna County
(PA) deputy
director of government and community affairs (and candidate for state
representative), which appeared in the
Times Leader on Saturday, is too well written to summarize, and it says it all. The
discussion concerns state representatives, but it equally applies to
local officials.
"Representative Sid Kavulich is on the mark in his legislative efforts to end state senators and representatives from receiving pay for sitting on extraneous boards of directors, during a sitting official’s time of public service.
"Rep. Kavulich stated in the Scranton Times that 'outlawing pay would "remove" any indication of impropriety.' Although I agree with Mr. Kavulich in regard to outlawing state leaders from receiving pay from boards they sit on, simply the connection to outside boards alone creates a potential conflict of interest.
"Most boards are run by some of the wealthiest people in our community. In many cases, some of the very same faces appear on several boards. A state representative or state senator who sits on these boards can potentially compromise how they vote on these boards, in return for significant campaign contributions. Influential board members have money and are generally connected to money in the community. Allowing an elected state leader to vote on any peripheral cause or issue outside of their elected responsibilities can compromise the dignity of any elected office.
"I commend Rep. Kavulich for his efforts. The newly elected state representative is doing something that is long overdue, and now I only hope he will pursue these efforts a bit further. The responsibilities of an elected representative and senator go no further than the constituents who elected them. An elected member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly does not belong voting anywhere else, or pursuing any other agenda outside the halls of the capitol building in Harrisburg.
"There are so many wonderful organizations and civic boards in our community, and Mr. Kavulich participates with two such boards. But to set the overall example in Harrisburg, an elected official has to make sacrifices that did not exist before they were elected. I would hope that Rep. Kavulich would include in his bill outlawing law makers from sitting on outside boards while serving as an elected member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly."
Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics
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"Representative Sid Kavulich is on the mark in his legislative efforts to end state senators and representatives from receiving pay for sitting on extraneous boards of directors, during a sitting official’s time of public service.
"Rep. Kavulich stated in the Scranton Times that 'outlawing pay would "remove" any indication of impropriety.' Although I agree with Mr. Kavulich in regard to outlawing state leaders from receiving pay from boards they sit on, simply the connection to outside boards alone creates a potential conflict of interest.
"Most boards are run by some of the wealthiest people in our community. In many cases, some of the very same faces appear on several boards. A state representative or state senator who sits on these boards can potentially compromise how they vote on these boards, in return for significant campaign contributions. Influential board members have money and are generally connected to money in the community. Allowing an elected state leader to vote on any peripheral cause or issue outside of their elected responsibilities can compromise the dignity of any elected office.
"I commend Rep. Kavulich for his efforts. The newly elected state representative is doing something that is long overdue, and now I only hope he will pursue these efforts a bit further. The responsibilities of an elected representative and senator go no further than the constituents who elected them. An elected member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly does not belong voting anywhere else, or pursuing any other agenda outside the halls of the capitol building in Harrisburg.
"There are so many wonderful organizations and civic boards in our community, and Mr. Kavulich participates with two such boards. But to set the overall example in Harrisburg, an elected official has to make sacrifices that did not exist before they were elected. I would hope that Rep. Kavulich would include in his bill outlawing law makers from sitting on outside boards while serving as an elected member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly."
Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics
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