A New Idea: Lifestyle Audits
Have you ever wondered how a local government department head can
afford to live like a king on a $100,000 salary?
Disclosure
Transparency & Disclosure
March 4, 2010
An Honor System That Didn't Work
An
article
in yesterday's Philadelphia Inquirer says that the state's
inspector general has found that, despite past problems, the South Jersey Transportation
Authority has gotten its act together, ethically speaking.
January 5, 2010
The People Speak: Bruno Trial Jurors' Opinions
If citizens could once in their lives be a juror in a government ethics
trial, we would have incredible ethics laws. This is the conclusion one
comes to after reading, in an
Albany Times-Union article, the comments of jurors in the trial of former NY
senate majority leader Joseph Bruno for misuse of office and failure to disclose.
Here are a few of the jurors' comments:
Here are a few of the jurors' comments:
Transparency & Disclosure
November 19, 2009
It Should Come As No Surprise When Government Counsel Advises the Individual (Joseph Bruno) Rather Than the Office
Update: November 20, 2009 (see below)
November 10, 2009
Plain Language in NSW, Oz
New South Wales, Australia Premier Nathan Rees announces plain language reforms
In an interview recently he said: "I want plain English to become an essential part of how the public sector does its business, every bit as essential as a financial impact statement."
His statement at the opening of the PLAIN Conference in Sydney October 16th included three points that he plans to implement:
- Issuing a Premier’s Memorandum to the entire NSW public sector directing all agencies to adopt plain English in their communications
- From 2010, including a special category for “Best Use o
Transparency & Disclosure
October 24, 2009
A Very Short Rant on Financial Disclosure and Ethics Self-Regulation
It's always nice to see politicians provide evidence for the argument
that ethics self-regulation doesn't work, but it's rare for it to
happen in so public a way as occurred yesterday. According to an
article in Roll Call, Rep. John Carter (R-TX), "the point man for
Republicans seeking to strip Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel
(D-N.Y.) of his gavel," did not disclose large profits from a sale of
Exxon stock, even after Roll Call contacted him about the omission a
year ago.
September 2, 2009
Michigan Disclosure Proposal Doesn't Go Very Far, Locally Speaking
According to an
article in the Detroit Free Press, Michigan's Attorney General is
seeking stronger financial and gift disclosure requirements for state
officials, and he wants these requirements to apply to local officials,
as well. But there's a catch: they would only apply to local
elected officials who are paid at least $65,000. That would include the
Detroit City Council, Wayne County Commission, and strong mayors.
Conflicts of Interest
August 17, 2009
Valuing Gifts, and Courtesies to an Office
Update below (Aug. 20, 2009)
Is the value of a gift given to a government official its fair market value or what the official gets out of it? For example, if you give an official a sportscar worth $40,000 and he only drives it ten times a year, is its value $40,000 or the cost of renting a car ten times a year? If you give an official a ticket to a football game and she leaves after the first half, is the value half the ticket or its full price?
Is the value of a gift given to a government official its fair market value or what the official gets out of it? For example, if you give an official a sportscar worth $40,000 and he only drives it ten times a year, is its value $40,000 or the cost of renting a car ten times a year? If you give an official a ticket to a football game and she leaves after the first half, is the value half the ticket or its full price?
Transparency & Disclosure
July 31, 2009
Putting Financial Disclosure Information Online
Thanks to Texas
Watchdog, "an independent, nonpartisan entity [that] serves as a
government watchdog and training center
where reporters, bloggers and activists of any stripe learn how to
uncover waste, fraud and corruption in state and local governments,"
the financial disclosure forms of Houston's council members are now
available online.
April 30, 2009
Municipal Ethics Task Force in CT Bows to Town Officials
Recently, the Connecticut Task Force on Municipal Ethics discussed a
draft report. Neither in the report, nor in the
discussion, is there anything about ethics training, the independence
of ethics commissions, or financial disclosure. Advisory opinions
were not included in the draft, but were added in the discussion.