Ethics Matters News
Ethics Matters comments on the revised proposed ethics code at Press and Public Comment at the QAC C
I am here this evening as a volunteer with a new citizens organization,
Ethics Matters. The mission of Ethics Matters is to promote
understanding of ethical governance.
We look forward to serving the cause of ethical government for Queen Anne’s County.
Our current 1984 County’s Ethics Code is the weakest in the State. You have now prepared another proposed revision, after your first revision was not approved by the State Ethics Commission. Underlying these revisions is the ethics code proposed over a year ago by the County Ethics Commission and introduced by Commissioner Koval -- a code that the State Ethics Commission indicated it would approve.
Unfortunately, numerous glitches in the revision you are planning to vote on tonight will gut its effectiveness. It will be, in fact, an unlawful law because it does not meet minimum State requirements.
In the time available to me, I can only quickly identify the defects:
1. This amended version makes it acceptable for a government official or employee to have a financial interest in or be employed by a company that is doing business with his or her government agency.
2. It allows a government official to act on a matter that directly affects a business owned by his or her brother or sister, parent, or adult child.
3. In it, if the Ethics Commission determines that you Commissioners’ or any other part-time officials’ outside employment does not affect your official duties, that determination improperly allows the Ethics Commission to excuse you from all other major provisions of the ethics law, including gifts and financial disclosure .
4. There are problems with the regulations concerning lobbying
5. This amended version removes large numbers of County employees from meeting any of the standards of the Ethics Code.
Perhaps the worst aspect of this process is that if you take much time to repair the defects in your latest version, ethics reform will once again be delayed. The transparency and accountability of County government which are provided by the financial disclosure provisions will not take effect until after the 2006 election. In fact, accountability will not occur until January 31, 2007 unless you fix this code promptly and then adopt it as emergency legislation before the end of this year.
Ethics and getting ethics reform continue to be a real concern in Queen Anne’s County.
We look forward to serving the cause of ethical government for Queen Anne’s County.
Our current 1984 County’s Ethics Code is the weakest in the State. You have now prepared another proposed revision, after your first revision was not approved by the State Ethics Commission. Underlying these revisions is the ethics code proposed over a year ago by the County Ethics Commission and introduced by Commissioner Koval -- a code that the State Ethics Commission indicated it would approve.
Unfortunately, numerous glitches in the revision you are planning to vote on tonight will gut its effectiveness. It will be, in fact, an unlawful law because it does not meet minimum State requirements.
In the time available to me, I can only quickly identify the defects:
1. This amended version makes it acceptable for a government official or employee to have a financial interest in or be employed by a company that is doing business with his or her government agency.
2. It allows a government official to act on a matter that directly affects a business owned by his or her brother or sister, parent, or adult child.
3. In it, if the Ethics Commission determines that you Commissioners’ or any other part-time officials’ outside employment does not affect your official duties, that determination improperly allows the Ethics Commission to excuse you from all other major provisions of the ethics law, including gifts and financial disclosure .
4. There are problems with the regulations concerning lobbying
5. This amended version removes large numbers of County employees from meeting any of the standards of the Ethics Code.
Perhaps the worst aspect of this process is that if you take much time to repair the defects in your latest version, ethics reform will once again be delayed. The transparency and accountability of County government which are provided by the financial disclosure provisions will not take effect until after the 2006 election. In fact, accountability will not occur until January 31, 2007 unless you fix this code promptly and then adopt it as emergency legislation before the end of this year.
Ethics and getting ethics reform continue to be a real concern in Queen Anne’s County.
Posted on 15 Nov 2005
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