Supervisor Pat Loe hopes San Benito County can stop responding
in a
”
reactionary
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mode when faced with ethical quandaries.
Hollister – Supervisor Pat Loe hopes San Benito County can stop responding in a “reactionary” mode when faced with ethical quandaries.
So today, the Board of Supervisors will discuss the possible formation of the county’s first ethics commission, an authoritative board most common in larger counties like San Jose. Loe has advocated the idea since supervisors broached the topic in February.
“We don’t need to be reactionary about a lot of these things,” Loe said Monday. “It’s time to be positive.”
It’s no coincidence the possible formation of an ethics commission comes on the heels of the scandal surrounding the District 5 supervisor’s race – and the political fallout occurring since March, Loe acknowledged.
That’s when questions arose about how Supervisor-elect Jaime De La Cruz campaigned for the March 2 election. Since then, a criminal investigation of De La Cruz and his campaign adviser has led to skepticism about the Elections Office and its policies, and more recently toward the District Attorney’s Office and its handling of the probe.
Supervisor Bob Cruz, who lost the District 5 race by 10 votes, also supports formation of an ethics commission.
“It doesn’t hurt anybody,” Cruz said. “Give me some reasons besides, ‘If it’s not broken don’t fix it.”
Cruz was referring to opposition at two recent meetings – from elected officials and others running for offices – to another ordinance the board has been considering to restrict campaign spending. Up for consideration Tuesday, that law would affect how local candidates raise and spend money.
The ethics committee proposal, however, is not quite that far along. Loe believes there will be enough board support to direct the county counsel’s office to draft a proposed ordinance to form a commission.
She wants to have a representative from each of the five supervisorial districts, along with a “cross section of the community,” on the commission. If eventually approved, she expects the commission would start by addressing issues only affecting San Benito County government.
It’s unclear how much authority the commission could have. As examples, the county counsel’s office provided supervisors with similar by-laws from commissions in San Jose and San Francisco.
“What we’re seeing in the community now needs to be addressed,” Loe said.
