A bill authored by Assemblyman Simon Salinas, D-Salinas that
would require local elected government officials to participate in
ethics training has the support of some county politicians, but one
supervisor says there is a greater need for measures to ensure
ethical campaigning.
Hollister – A bill authored by Assemblyman Simon Salinas, D-Salinas that would require local elected government officials to participate in ethics training has the support of some county politicians, but one supervisor says there is a greater need for measures to ensure ethical campaigning.
Salinas’ bill would require ethics training only after a person is elected and have little effect on the year-long local debate over whether to create an ethics committee to oversee county campaigns.
“They’re two different breeds of cat,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Reb Monaco, who said he thought Salinas’ bill was fine, but was concerned about how it might affect the county’s budget.
“The devil’s always in the details,” he said.
Both Hollister Councilman Doug Emerson and Supervisor Anthony Botelho said they supported having elected officials take part in ethics training.
“I think it’s a positive step forward for all levels of government to go through some form of ethics training – to have some idea of how to conduct yourself in public,” Botelho said.
Supervisor Pat Loe, however, said she thinks the focus should still be on creating a group that would oversee campaign ethics in county elections.
“Rather than ethics training for elected officials, my focus has always been on ethical campaigning,” she said.
Since last summer the board has had on-again, off-again discussions about the formation of an ethics committee. The idea was proposed in August, 2004, a few months after then-supervisor-elect Jaime De La Cruz beat incumbent Bob Cruz for the District 5 supervisor seat by 10 votes amid suspicion of election fraud. The ethics committee has been envisioned as an outlet for candidates to air concerns about political opponents who may use false or misleading information in their campaigns.
Though a July workshop on the subject suffered from a low public turnout, supervisors intend to hold another public hearing. A date has not been set.
The state Assembly passed the Salinas bill in April, and the Senate passed it late last month. The governor has until Sept. 30 to either sign or veto the bill. If he takes no action by then, the bill will automatically come law.
Salinas’ Chief of Staff, Frank Molina, said they anticipate Schwarzenegger will sign the bill.
If the Salinas bill becomes law, it would require ethics training only for officials who receive a salary or compensation for their work. Curriculum for the training – which may be offered by the local government or taken online or at conferences and seminars – would be developed by the California Fair Political Practices Commission and the state attorney general.
Another component of Salinas’ bill, which was sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last week, is a requirement for local governments to create written policies outlining how officials are to be reimbursed for job-related travel and how they are compensated for attendance at meetings and conferences.
Emerson said that creating such policies “absolutely must be done.”
“If we don’t have clear policies, that’s when people get in gray areas, when agencies get in gray areas, and it’s easier to take advantage.
Monaco and Botelho both agree.
“I think that any time we use public tax-payers’ money it has to be accounted for,” Monaco said. “We need to be held accountable for how we use those funds.”
Requiring ethics training and establishing fiscal policies will keep elected officials on the right track, Salinas said.
“I hope what this will do, especially for newly elected people, is outline their responsibilities as elected officials … so they understand the rules of the game.”
Luke Roney covers politics and the environment for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at
lr****@fr***********.com
