The Ad Hoc Committee on City Governance Reform produced an amendment to the City Charter to strengthen the independence and enhance the authority of the City's Ethics Commission, the body charged with enforcing the City's code of ethics. Charter amendments require the approval of a majority of the voters in a Citywide election. This week the Council voted unanimously to place a Charter amendment on this fall's election. The voters will have the last word.
“This is the first significant reform to the Ethics Commission in the 20 years it has existed,” said Council President Krekorian, who spearheaded these reforms as Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on City Governance. “It’s a significant step forward in creating greater independence and greater effectiveness for the Ethics Commission.”
Specific impacts of the proposed Ethics Commission Reform:
- Prohibits persons from serving on the Ethics Commission who do business with the City or have any financial interest in the City’s actions.
- Prohibits elected officials from appointing to the Ethics Commission any relatives, campaign consultants or major campaign donors.
- Compels the Council to consider all Commission recommendations within 180 days.
- Provides the Ethics Commission with a minimum annual budget (adjusted annually to reflect changing City revenues), one that it controls without requiring Council approval for specific expenditures.
- Allows the Commission to retain outside counsel.
- Triples the penalties for violations of the City’s Ethics Code to $15,000 per violation.
The Commission may impose multiple penalties for multiple violations, or hold the offender liable for triple the amount of an unlawful or improperly reported transaction, whichever is greater.