Ethics Codes & Reform February 27, 2009

The Three Lies of Government Ethics

Everyone knows the three lies jokes. Every topic has its three lies, and the third one is the punch line. Unfortunately, in government ethics there aren't any punch lines, but there are lies, or at least common rhetoric that isn't true, what I will refer to as "untruths." Those who believe in effective government ethics programs need to be ready to respond to them when they arise.

Ethics Commissions & Administration February 26, 2009

The Worthlessness of Toothless Ethics Commissions

There's a lot of talk among government ethics practitioners about how important it is for ethics commissions to have teeth, that is, the ability to at least reprimand and fine government officials for ethics violations. Requiring council approval of ethics recommendations brings elected officials into the ethics process and politicizes it. And politicizing an ethics program undermines its goal of gaining the public's trust in elected officials to govern for the public, not for themselves and their families, friends, and business and political associates.

Ethics Codes & Reform February 25, 2009

Process vs. Substance

The conclusion of an op-ed column in today's Sarasota Herald-Tribune about the mess in Venice that I wrote about yesterday made me realize that I had not yet written about one of the most important problems in government ethics: process vs. substance.

Ethics Codes & Reform February 25, 2009

Ethics Creativity

A favorite ploy in local government ethics is for a council to vote for an ethics code that includes an ethics commission, and then either not actually appoint members to the commission or, when they resign, not fill their seats, so that there is, effectively, no enforcement mechanism.

February 24, 2009

The Conflicts in Upcoming Venice (FL) Council Vote on Settlement of Suit Against Its Members

Update below
Recently, I wrote a bit about the odd Venice, FL ethics program, which puts the city manager completely in charge. Now Venice is making news with respect to open government issues, and this has led to a very interesting conflict of interest issue.

Ethics Commissions & Administration February 23, 2009

Citizens and the Advisory Opinion Process

I've always felt torn with respect to whether citizens should be allowed to ask for advisory opinions that have to do with local government officials, as can be seen in the advisory opinion provision and comments in the City Ethics Model Code Project.

Conflicts of Interest February 23, 2009

How Many Hats Should a Law Enforcer Wear?

An article deep in the first section of this Sunday's New York Times presents an interesting ethical dilemma. In New York State, it used to be common for state troopers and local police officers to negotiate, effectively plea bargain, at the courthouse with people they'd given tickets to. And then, in 2006, the State Police set a policy banning this practice.

February 22, 2009

Carla Miller - Recent lead article in Folio Weekly

COVER STORY

Recently Susan Eastman from the Folio Weekly wrote the lead article for that week on Carla's activities in the City of Jacksonville role as Ethics Officer.

Resources & Learning February 22, 2009

A New, Improved Local Government Ethics Treasure Trove

What could provide a better education for local government ethics practitioners than reading through a greatly expanded 261-page list of all the cases the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board has decided or settled from 1992 through last week? The ethics provisions may not be the same as everywhere, but the problems usually are.

The summaries are organized by topic, but there's no table of contents. So here goes:

February 20, 2009

Budget Games and Gimmicks

Agreeing on the local government budget is the most important thing that the government does every year, because it affects every department and agency. But with the exception of the big issues of the year, it's a pretty arcane process often accomplished behind closed doors. Thus, it provides excellent opportunities for unethical conduct, very little of it dealt with in ethics codes.

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