Local Government Ethics Programs 2.0:

A Resource for Ethics Commission Members, Local Officials,
Attorneys, Journalists, and Students,
And a Manual for Ethics Reform

by Robert Wechsler, Director of Research at City Ethics

The second edition of this comprehensive book about local
government ethics programs. And it's free!

This book is intended for multiple purposes:

• 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 manual 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.

Those looking for an introduction to local government ethics should look at the separate 27-page Local Government Ethics Programs in a Nutshell. [1]

With this book available, there is no longer an excuse for doing what is so common:  looking at the ethics codes in a few 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 resource book are dealt with at more length in the City Ethics blog [2], 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.

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 [email protected] [3].

City Ethics is making this book available, at no cost, in multiple formats, so that it can be read on a computer, e-reader, tablet, 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 computer, e-Reader, tablet, or smartphone and begin reading. The MOBI format is for the Kindle, and the EPUB format works on the Nook, the Sony Reader, and iBooks.