Pension Forfeiture
My state, Connecticut, has just added itself to the at least 14 states
that provide for public official pension forfeiture. Like some of the
other states, its new law covers municipal officials.
Conflicts of Interest
June 12, 2008
Pension Fund Boards and Conflicts of Interest
Who should be on a local government pension board? Should conflicts of
interest be taken into account? These two questions are closely
interrelated, because the common answer seems to be that those with the
greatest conflict are also the most appropriate members.
There are two values at odds here: letting employees and retirees manage their own pensions, and the public interest in having tax dollars handled by disinterested and competent individuals.
Click here to read the rest of this blog entry.
There are two values at odds here: letting employees and retirees manage their own pensions, and the public interest in having tax dollars handled by disinterested and competent individuals.
Click here to read the rest of this blog entry.
Transparency & Disclosure
June 11, 2008
Blogging by Local Government Officials - A New Kind of Transparency
Once again, California is in the vanguard. This time, it's blogs
by mayors, city managers, and other local government officials (for
list, click here;
not all of these are government officials' blogs, but many are and it's
not hard to tell them apart).
Enforcement & Complaints
June 10, 2008
Standards of Proof in Ethics Enforcement
The standard of proof for determining whether an ethical violation
occurred has become an issue in Louisiana's ethics reform. After
looking at several local government ethics codes, as well as the
ethics codes of the states that have jurisdiction over local government
officials, I don't think standards of proof have become enough
of an issue in most jurisdictions.
June 9, 2008
Additional Reading on Speech or Debate Clause Issues
In the materials I have found online, Speech or Debate Clause issues are discussed in terms of state legislators (and usually state constitutions), even though the federal Speech or Debate Clause applies equally to local government legislators. But the discussions are all relevant to local government situations.
I will continue to add to this list, and I'd appreciate receiving information about other discussions of these issues.
Click here to read the rest of this blog entry.
I will continue to add to this list, and I'd appreciate receiving information about other discussions of these issues.
Click here to read the rest of this blog entry.
Enforcement & Complaints
June 2, 2008
The Enforcement of Ethics Laws Against Local Government Legislators
The decision of the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal in In
re Arnold (May 23, 2008) causes serious problems with respect to
ethics enforcement against local government legislators, at least in
Louisiana. It opens up a can of worms that I haven't seen discussed
(I'd appreciate being alerted to where it has been discussed).
May 31, 2008
Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act Upheld in Its Application to Local Governments
The Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District Number One doesn't like
having to get approval from the federal government for changes in its
voting policy, in order to prevent racial discrimination; it says that
everything's fine and dandy in Northwest Austin. The requirement can be
found in Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, extended in 2006.
Local Government Practice
May 29, 2008
Local Government Officials' Obligations with Respect to Federal Laws
The land deals of Congressman Gary Miller (R-Diamond Bar, CA) could
provide fodder for numerous blog entries on various topics. I wrote about him and ethics
recidivism, to show how important it is to deal with a local
politician's unethical actions so that they don't turn into much bigger
ones as he rises through the ranks.
Now I'd like to look at a way in which municipal officials, feeling they're helping out, enable unethical conduct.
Now I'd like to look at a way in which municipal officials, feeling they're helping out, enable unethical conduct.
May 28, 2008
Back to Eastern Oregon, Where Local Government Is Working Again ... Transparently
Six weeks after my blog
entry on the mass resignations in Eastern Oregon towns due to new
financial disclosure requirements, the predictions of government coming
to an end (still being fanned to flames by Fox News)
have turned out to be highly exaggerated.
Click here to read the rest of this blog entry.
Click here to read the rest of this blog entry.
Resources & Learning
May 27, 2008
Book Review: Emil "Bud" Krogh, Integrity
It took a long time for Egil "Bud" Krogh to write his book on
Watergate, but it finally came out a few months ago.
Krogh is not one of the better known Watergaters, partly because he pleaded guilty to his crimes. But as the head of the Plumbers, in charge of investigating leaks to the press, he oversaw the break-in of the office of Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist. For years he has been giving lectures on ethics, a program he calls the Integrity Zone (and his book is entitled Integrity).
Krogh is not one of the better known Watergaters, partly because he pleaded guilty to his crimes. But as the head of the Plumbers, in charge of investigating leaks to the press, he oversaw the break-in of the office of Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist. For years he has been giving lectures on ethics, a program he calls the Integrity Zone (and his book is entitled Integrity).