City Ethics
Breaking the oxymoron: "City Ethics"

Legislators Employed by the City - Conflict of Interest

Robert Wechsler
Model Code
This is the place to discuss the special situation of legislators who are employed by the city, or have members of their household who are employed by the city, and how to handle this conflict.

100(2). Legislators Employed by City

A member of the legislative body has a conflict of interest with respect to any labor contract to which he or she, or a member of his or her household*, may be a party, and with respect to an appropriation to any city department or agency through which he or she, or a member of his or her household, is employed.

Comment: Some cities require that there be no incompatible or even multiple offices held by an individual, especially a council member, so that this problem could only arise with respect to members of the household. In towns and small cities, it is more difficult to make such requirements, because there are sometimes too few competent and interested people to go around. Also, recusal can take care of instances such as those described in this subsection. But explicit restrictions in this area, especially in large cities, can be valuable.

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