Ethics commission leaders are falling like flies in Hawaii. <a href="http://www.cityethics.org/content/ec-members-aiding-or-supporting-polit…; target="”_blank”">I
recently wrote</a> about Honolulu's EC chair resigning in order to be
involved in a mayoral candidate's campaign (he had already been involved in
other campaigns). And last Wednesday, the state EC fired its

It's a good thing, especially in this age of fiscal austerity, when a
local government affair, such as a retirement party, is not paid for
out of public funds. But retirement parties, within reason, are part of
any organization's calendar. Better they be reasonable and paid for by
taxpayers than the alternative.<br>
<br>
That alternative is having local government affairs paid for by those
doing business with the agency, as appears to have happened in Atlanta,

Most local governments leave open meeting and public records matters to
the state. But often the slowness and expense of the state enforcement
process, as well as weaknesses in state law (e.g., too short a period
for noticing agendas, vague guidelines on filling FOI requests), can
mean that open meeting and public records laws are insufficiently
effective or are ignored.<br>
<br>
Historically, enforcement depends largely on the news media, but with
their cuts in budget and staff, they are often not doing the job

<b>Update:</b> June 18, 2010 (see below)<br>
<br>
In a memo dated June 14, 2010 (attached; see below), the Broward County
(FL) county attorney told the <a href="http://www.broward.org/Commission/Pages/default.aspx&quot; target="”_blank”">county
commission</a> that lobbying provisions in the county ethics

What responsibility does a supervisor have for the unethical conduct of a
subordinate? This issue arises in a matter in Winn Parish, Louisiana
where, according to <a href="http://myarklamiss.com/fulltext?nxd_id=64475&quot; target="”_blank”">an article on
myarklamiss.com</a>, based on a channel 10 newscast (accessible on the
same page as the article), a former chief deputy sheriff is being

According to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/11/education/11cheat.html&quot; target="”_blank”">an
article in yesterday's New York <i>Times</i></a>, it is coming out that more
teachers and school administrators have been involved in cheating on
the test scores that may not only give them bonuses, but may determine
whether their schools continue to exist. One can argue ad infinitum

<a href="http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100605/EDIT01/6060329/A-Matter-of-…; target="”_blank”">The
<i>Enquirer</i>

As serious as the appearance of impropriety that arises from the council member's
family firm seeking TIF money and a tax abatement from the city is the
fact that any developer or member of a developer's family sitting on a
city council faces not just the occasional ethical controversy, as has
been the case in this situation. Such an individual faces an ongoing
series of possible conflicts, most of which do not lead to complaints, requests for advisory opinions, or controversies.<br>
<br>

The family firm's $100 million development takes this matter beyond
ordinary conflicts, due to state and local laws on officials entering into public contracts with their city. What makes this issue far more
serious than an ordinary conflict, which can be dealt with responsibly through
recusal, is that both state and local law require the official to choose
between his government position and an interest in a public contract.
It is this far more drastic remedy that has recently escalated emotions

In determining whether a conflict or preferential treatment might
exist, another aspect of benefits, in addition to how definite or
direct they
are, is their proportionality. Stated in the form of a question, Is the benefit at issue
just one of many equivalent benefits to a sizeable group, such as
senior citizens or property owners, or is it especially large?<br>
<br>
The council member took the position that he and his family firm
benefited no more than others who owned or had development rights in