The creation of an ethics task force is a popular way for local
government leaders to pursue ethics reform. It provides the
appearance of community involvement and independence, and it means
that reform ideas are not something to be imposed by a mayor on
council members and other officials, which can cause a great deal of
resentment.
Atlanta's Mayor Franklin chose this route in 2002, as did
Philadelphia's Mayor Nutter in 2008. One difference is that Franklin
appointed her own task force, while Nutter allowed community
organizations to pick seven of the nine members of his task force.
The latest mayor to take this route is Chicago's Mayor Emanuel. What
is unusual about his use of the task force is that he is not responding to a
scandal, but rather doing what he promised in his campaign.