The Board of Supervisors made a short-sighted decision this
week. Citing lack of progress and the potential costs, it decided
to scrap plans to establish an ethics committee.
Supervisors seem to fear that an ethics committee could become a
partisan tool wielded to punish political enemies. So instead of
doing the hard work of establishing an impartial body that could
look into allegations of campaign violations, they killed it.
The Board of Supervisors made a short-sighted decision this week. Citing lack of progress and the potential costs, it decided to scrap plans to establish an ethics committee.
Supervisors seem to fear that an ethics committee could become a partisan tool wielded to punish political enemies. So instead of doing the hard work of establishing an impartial body that could look into allegations of campaign violations, they killed it.
We understand the concern that the ethics committee could become a way to extend the infighting and political shenanigans that have gripped San Benito County – particularly if local elected officials were appointed as members as has been discussed – but there are ways to avoid that.
One option would be to ask Gavilan College to establish, appoint and operate the committee.
In addition, we would ask San Benito County’s new Gavilan Trustee, Kent Child, to ask his board to create a short ethics class that local politicians and candidates for office could take to learn the rules and regulations surrounding campaign law.
The county then could craft an ethics pledge with specific criteria of conduct to help ensure clean campaigning. A candidate could refuse to take the class and sign the pledge, but that would not likely be looked on favorably by the public.
In addition, this newspaper will only consider for editorial endorsement candidates who sign the pledge.
An ethics commission can provide a formal process to ensure campaigns are financed and run according to the law – clarifying the rules for all candidates, and giving people a process to redress their grievances.
Ethics training would create a level of accountability for candidates who could no longer claim ignorance of the campaign laws.
The last year of political battles, lawsuits and endless mudslinging are constant reminders why these types of measures would benefit our county.
An ethics committee, set up in the proper fashion to remove fears of political payback, would go a long way in restoring dignity and fairness to our political process.
The supervisors turned their back on that this week.
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