Jacksonville's Recent Ethics Code Revisions
Jacksonville's Ethics Commission recently went through a two year revision process of their City's Ethics Code.
The resulting updates were finally ratified by the City Council last Tuesday night. See the Times Union article below... Note that I will get the code revisions up in a separate blog entry later.
<p>From: <a href="http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/113007/opl_221526913.shtm…; target="_blank">http://www.jacksonville.com/tu<wbr>-online/stories/113007/opl<wbr>_2215…;
<h1>The Florida Times-Union</h1>
<p><b>November 30, 2007</b></p>
<h2>New ethics legislation described as model for the Sunshine State</h2>
<p>
</p><p><b>By RON LITTLEPAGE</b><br><em>The Times-Union</em>
<p></p>
<p>Two laudable steps taken by the City Council Tuesday night were overshadowed
by the controversy surrounding Councilwoman Denise Lee's attempt to scuttle Tony
Boselli's use of a community center for programs to help at-risk children.
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</p><p>
</p><p>For one thing, the council finally passed a toughened ethics code that had
been two years in the making.
</p><p>Council members also stepped up to the plate and unanimously approved a
resolution opposing plans to siphon up to 262 million gallons of water a day out
of the St. Johns River and its tributaries.
</p><p>Carla Miller, the city's ethics officer, describes the new ethics legislation
as a model for the state.
</p><p>It is a major step forward, although it could be tougher.
</p><p>For instance, the legislation caps the total value of gifts a council member
can receive from a lobbyist at $250 a year.
</p><p>However, meals purchased by lobbyists costing less than $25 don't have to be
reported and won't count toward that cap.
</p><p>Here's a better idea: Council members shouldn't be taking gifts, meals or
otherwise, from lobbyists, period.
</p><p>Can't be done? Yes, it can.
</p><p>The Clay County Board of Commissioners passed ethics legislation last summer
banning gifts from lobbyists.
</p><p>That legislation reads: "The board finds that a zero gift limit ... should be
enacted in order to better promote and preserve the integrity of the government
decision-making process."
</p><p>Clay commissioners understand that cozy relationships with lobbyists affect
that integrity and that the loss of it isn't worth a few freebies.
</p><p>Clay commissioners also found the answer to the red-herring question that's
always asked:What if a council member goes to a civic club function and dines on
the traditional rubber chicken dinner?
</p><p>The Clay ethics code excludes from gifts "food, beverages or entertainment
accepted when offered gratuitously in the course of a professional or civic
meeting or group function at which attendance will assist the public servant in
performing his or her official duties."
</p><p>See. That's not so difficult.
</p><p>The Jacksonville ethics legislation is designed to be tweaked as issues
arise. A gift ban is a tweak that needs to be made now.
</p><p>The resolution opposing the withdrawal of water from the St. Johns correctly
points out that the Central Florida counties that would use the water to sustain
out-of-control growth are doing next to nothing to conserve water now being
wasted.
</p><p>It also correctly states that "no one ... fully understands all of the
potential impacts to the river's health and fisheries from the proposed
withdrawals."
</p><p>Neptune Beach and Jacksonville Beach have passed similar resolutions. And
Mayor John Peyton wrote a letter to Kirby Green, executive director of the St.
Johns River Water Management District, saying the city was "deeply concerned"
about withdrawals.
</p><p>Perhaps the management district, which is pushing this insanity, will get the
message that it is off track and more aggressively pursue the ultimate answer to
strained water supplies - conservation and desalinization.
</p><p><a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, (904) 359-4284
</p></p>