California Limits Local Government Officials' Access to Free Tickets
Sports and other event tickets are a constant issue in local government
ethics. Yes, mayors are often expected to attend major events, but who
else is? Why should city ownership of a facility matter in handing out
tickets? The ownership is not the officials' or employees', but the
citizens'.<br>
<br>
According to <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-perks12-2008dec12,0,7900983.sto…; target="”_blank”">an
article in yesterday's Los Angeles <i>Times</i></a>, the California Fair
Political Practices Commission has made a new regulation requiring full
disclosure and major limitations on the giving of tickets to local
government officials and employees.<br>
<br>
The regulation originated in
complaints about massive ticket perks in Anaheim, home of the baseball
Angels, hockey Ducks, and lots of rock concerts. Also, in Pasadena,
2100 tickets were given to city officials and employees.<br>
<br>
<div class="storybody">The new rules apply
to cities, counties and fair boards that own sports venues and concert
halls that provide tickets to the agencies for distribution to elected
officials and other government employees.<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="storybody">With two exceptions,
the new rules bar government officials from accepting tickets worth
more than $420 in a year from a single source, because it is a gift.
Tickets would not be considered gifts if the officials' attendance at
the event was deemed by the government agency to serve a public
purpose, or if the official accepted the tickets as taxable income.<br>
<br>
The public agency is required to post on its website who is using the
tickets and what events were attended, and to provide an explanation of
the public purpose served by attendance.</div>
<br>
<a href="http://www.fppc.ca.gov/index.html?ID=247#1" target="”_blank”">The regulations</a>
have the support of the League of California Cities.<br>
<br>
Robert Wechsler<br>
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics<br>
<br>
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