Overview of Ethics Reform
It may sound like this is just an effort to make life more difficult for sticky-fingered politicians, but this term actually covers multiple initiatives intended to remedy a wide range of governmental failings.
In a philosophical sense, ethics reform is about right and wrong and about ensuring that those in government meet their responsibilities to the public. In a practical sense, ethics reform is about raising citizen expectations regarding the quality of municipal services, ensuring equal opportunity when it comes to public employment and contracting opportunities, and eliminating discriminatory treatment, which favors the "connected" over everyone else.
Ultimately, ethics reform is about dollar and cents - tax dollars wasted or stolen, potential residents turned off by stories of municipal corruption, and corporate investment directed to jurisdictions lacking our now infamous "pay-to-play culture."
Why is Ethics Reform Needed ?
Although it's hard to nail down an accurate individual or total cost, government waste occurs at every level of government, in every state, county and municipality in America, regardless of which political party is running the show. Sometimes it's a case of outright corruption, but much more frequently it's simply the political winners and their allies taking advantage of the "spoils of victory."
Ethical misconduct takes place in every type of institution from borough councils to the federal government, from the richest countries to the poorest, and in the public, private and non-profit sectors. Unfortunately, Philadelphia has a more notorious image than most cities for our corrupt and unfair political system, which inhibits the city's growth on many levels. For the Philadelphia region to return to national and international economic prominence, we need to trim the political fat and use this significant savings to both reduce city taxes and improve services. We also need to lose, once and for all, our reputation for being "corrupt and contented" as described by Lincoln Steffen in 1903. The reality is that with our industries and amenities we are very well positioned for the 21st Century, but we are held back by the national perception we at least tolerate and arguably celebrate 19th Century machine politics
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Committee on Law and Govenment Moves Ethics Forward
Nov. 16
Committee on Law and Govenment Moves Ethics Forward
On November 16, Members of the Law and Government Committee voted to push forward six pieces of ethics-related legislation with minor amendments. The bills now move to the floor of the entire Council where members will have the opportunity to take the next step in ethics reform and answer the voices of the voters who made it clear on November 8 that they want change. Council passed five pieces through on Dec. 1.
Many business and community leaders testified at this hearing in support of these bills. Among them were: Zack Stalberg, Seventy's CEO; David Thornburgh, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Economy League of Southeastern Pennsylvania; Brett Mandel, Executive Director of Philadelphia Forward; Mark Schweiker, President/CEO Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce; Marc Steir of Neighborhood Networks; Norma van Dyke of Philadelphians United to Restore Ethics; and others.
Testimony from the hearing:
Committee of Seventy
Daniel P. McElhatton, Esq., Vice Chair, Philadelphia Board of Ethics
Pennsylvania Economy League of Southeastern Pennsylvania
Philadelphians United to Restore Ethics
Philadelphia Forward
Sections. / Reform--November 2005
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