A Comparative Look at Cities' Ethics Programs from the City of Austin
I recently discovered that, in May, the Austin's Office of the City
Auditor did <a href="http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/auditor/downloads/as08103.pdf" target="”_blank”">an
extensive report </a>on the city's ethics program, and compared it
with 16 comparable American cities (Arlington (TX), Dallas, El Paso,
Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Kansas City
(MO or KS?), Memphis, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, San Diego,
San Jose, and Seattle).<br>
<br>
This report has lots of fascinating tables of comparative information,
as well as a detailed look at Austin's unusual ethics program. The
tables include:<br>
<br>
Elements in Other Cities’ Ethics Structures (4 pages; Appendix G)<br>
Detailed Cities’ Survey Responses (27 pages; Appendix I)<br>
Ethics Activities Regulated<br>
Activities in Which the Ethics Officer or Equivalent is Involved<br>
The Reporting Structure of the Ethics Officer or Equivalent<br>
Ethics Activities Where the Ethics Commission/Committee or Similar Body
is Involved<br>
Authority of the Ethics Commission<br>
Ethics Activities of the City Auditor<br>
Ethics Activities of the Human Resources Departments<br>
<br>
Because the City Auditor is part of Austin's ethics program, it did
not do a critical appraisal, but the descriptive information is
valuable. Anyone who has seen any other such reports, please send me the
links, so I can share the information with the local government ethics
community.<br>
<br>
Robert Wechsler<br>
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics<br>
<br>
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