City Ethics | Breaking the oxymoron: "City Ethics"

April 25, 2014

Broward County (FL) Ethics Reform Talk: Gifts and Advice

According to an article this week in the Sun-Sentinel, the Broward County, FL commission is discussing changes to the countywide ethics program, focusing on gifts and ethics advice.

Gift Bans

Conflicts of Interest April 25, 2014

Sitting on a Board with Restricted Sources

According to an article this week in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the new mayor of Poplar Bluff, MO is a gadfly who had been totally ignored when she questioned the dealings of her town government. This is generally a sign of a very poor ethics environment.

Conflicts of Interest April 24, 2014

Following the Spirit of an Intra-Governmental Revolving Door Law in Louisiana

Here's an interesting conflict situation from Louisiana that involves a good intra-governmental revolving door provision and unforeseen circumstances. According to an article today in the Advocate, the New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board made the wise decision to ask the state ethics board, which has jurisdiction over local officials, whether it could hire the city's deputy mayor as its executive director.

Conflicts of Interest April 24, 2014

What to Do About "Machers"

Earlier this month, a bill came before the Israeli legislature, the Knesset, called the Machers Bill. Its goal is to expand the Knesset's lobbying law to the executive branch as well as to municipalities, something that is rare in American states.

April 23, 2014

Working Paper 42 - Community Development Authorities

Submitted on behalf of the Author: Mary M. Báthory Vidaver

Ethics Commissions & Administration April 23, 2014

Turning a Predicament into a Problem

Reading in The Economist a distinction made by Paul Kingsnorth, a leader of the uncivilization movement, a response to climate change, made me wonder whether it is also important with respect to government ethics. His distinction is between a "problem" and a "predicament." A "problem" is something that can be solved. A "predicament" is something that must be endured, for which there is no real solution. When faced with a predicament, the appropriate response is not to try to solve it, but rather to accept it and feel grief for what is lost because of it.

April 21, 2014

Backsliding re Mayoral Balls

I am a big believer in officials taking voluntary action to improve an ethics environment when passing laws is not possible. For example, if the state and the council both choose not to prohibit campaign contributions from restricted sources, that is no reason why a mayoral candidate should not make it known that he will reject such contributions and do his best to get all candidates to reject them.

Ethics Commissions & Administration April 21, 2014

Who Should Decide re Reimbursement of Legal Fees?

Can local legislators be trusted with the discretion to reimburse their colleagues for legal fees in ethics proceedings? This question is raised by a decision of the Wellington, FL council a few weeks ago.

Transparency & Disclosure April 18, 2014

Could Government Ethics Disclosure Be Found Unconstitutional?

This week, Linda Greenhouse pointed out, in a New York Times op-ed piece, that an April 14 decision by the D.C. Circuit could have an effect on campaign finance disclosure. It could have an effect on government ethics disclosure, as well.

Ethics Codes & Reform April 18, 2014

A Call for Academics to Provide Assistance to Government Ethics Programs

I read something very exciting today in the April 1 newsletter of the Ethics Section of the American Society for Public Administration. In a short essay entitled "Living in Glass Houses: Ethics Commissions in the United States," Stuart C. Gilman, who has had an illustrious career both in academia and on the front lines of ethics and anti-corruption efforts, wrote the following:

I believe it is time for the ethics section to become more activist by encouraging targeted research or an ASPA commission to look into what makes ... ethics commissions effective. ...

Subscribe to