I told you last week that Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure has proposed a proposed gift ban ordinance for consideration by County Council. Two members of Council must agree to sponsor this before before it can be introduced. All nine should do so.
Although Northampton County's Home Rule Charter does contain a gift ban, the subsequently adopted Administrative Code actually contradicts it. Under these circumstances, it would be impossible to enforce violations.
The ordinance proposed by McClure is based on Governor Josh Shapiro's gift ban. It is less restrictive than Bethlehem's, under which a public official or employee is unable to accept so much as a cup of coffee. But it bans elected officials from accepting tickets to recreational events like ArtsQuest concerts or IronPigs games. I doubt this amenity actually sways anyone to vote a certain way, but it is a form of soft corruption. It is also terrible optics. When a public official is feted like this, people notice.
Northampton County Proposed Gift Ban by BernieOHare on Scribd
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