Pennsylvania is among a minority of states that still allow gifts from vendors and prospective vendors so long as they are disclosed. Northampton County's Home Rule Charter ostensibly banned them, but the subsequently adopted Administrative Code created so many exceptions that it rendered the gift ban completely meaningless. Elected and appointed officials and county employees could attend an Eagles game or ArtsQuest concert with a prospective vendor sitting next to him and do no wrong. Most of us need no one to tell us this is wrong, if only because it undermines public confidence in honest government. For the rest, there's a gift ban.
In April, Executive Lamont McClure proposed a comprehensive gift ban (you can read it here) similar to one imposed by Governor Josh Shapiro for executive employees. Yes, you can accept items of de minimis value like a bottle of water or bag of chips. But it will prevents public officials from accepting gifts from anyone who has or wants a relationship with the county.
I know of very few NorCo elected or public officials who have used their office to grease vendors . But it happens, perhaps without realize that it makes that official and everyone around him or her look corrupt.
It is my hope that all nine Council members would want to sponsor this proposal.
8 comments:
Can't believe McClure would propose a needless ordinance because you want it. Everyone knows the county executive picks all the vendors and not any one part-time council member or employee.
Oh I see. I would love to see a Council member defend voting No to a gift ban in an election.
Off topic, but Bernie you have to go check out elected state GOP official Steve Lynch's new Facebook video. Calls for violence against trans folks and comes out hard against sun block, it is really good stuff. Just incredible.
Unfortunately guidelines for behavior have to be spelled out, otherwise we have folks who are content acting unethically, because it’s not specifically illegal. Even corporate behavior needs to be spelled out these days.
Once you accept a "gift", be it lunch, tickets, a tv, a discount, you are forever COMPROMISED!!
The idea that this stuff still happens boggles my mind, but in PA it is the norm. Go figure....
Will he impose the ban then take a trip to the Super Bowl like Shapiro.
Great. He's saving taxpayers zero dollars on a problem that apparently doesn't exist. But he keeps paying rent on a building that's not used. What a poor financial steward.
It's weird that anyone would comment here to oppose this...
Unless they like giving gifts in hopes of receiving soft power influence
Post a Comment