Local Government Ethics Programs:

A Resource for Ethics Commission Members, Ethics Reformers, Local Officials, Attorneys, Journalists, and Students

by Robert Wechsler, Director of Research at City Ethics

The first comprehensive book about local government
ethics programs. And it's free!

This book is intended for multiple purposes:

• As an introduction to local government ethics for those who want to have a grasp on the various issues involved in government ethics.


• As a resource for those faced with a specific situation, who want to understand the legal and ethical issues involved, as well as the alternative ways of dealing with the situation.


• As a guide for those involved in government ethics reform.    


• As a text for students of public administration as well as supplementary reading for local public administrators.

Those who will most profit from reading the entire book are ethics commission members and staff, those creating government ethics programs, and those involved in government ethics reform.

With this book available, there is no longer an excuse for doing what is so common: looking at the ethics codes in one or two nearby cities or counties, or at a state model, to draft a minimal ethics code that no one will criticize because they don’t know any better. A strong, comprehensive ethics program is what is needed, no matter what the size of the community. If funding is an issue, small communities can band together to get the benefits of a good, inexpensive ethics program.

Many of the issues raised in this 831-page resource book are dealt with at more length in the City Ethics blog, which looks at situations that face local government ethics programs across the country. The blog also links to other useful resources, including books, articles, essays, reports, advisory opinions, training materials, and ethics and court decisions.

We welcome feedback about this book. It will help to improve the book in future editions, which will be published every six months or so. Please send comments to the author, Robert Wechsler, at rwechsler@cityethics.org.

City Ethics is available for consulting about the creation, reform, and implementation of government ethics programs, including ethics training and external advice. Contact Carla Miller at cmiller@cityethics.org.

City Ethics is making this book available, at no cost, in multiple formats, so that it can be read on a computer, e-reader, or cellphone.

Select your preferred format from the images below. Right click the HTML format to open the book on a webpage in a separate tab or window. Or to download the book, left click on one of the other formats. Save the file and then copy it to your e-Reader, tablet, phone, or computer, and begin reading. The MOBI format is for the Kindle, and the EPUB format works on the Nook, the Sony Reader, and iBooks.