At the December 10, 2012 Council Meeting, I suggested that the Council consider passing an ethics (in government) ordinance and putting a Citizens' Bill of Rights on the ballot which would allow residents to consider and vote whether or not to include it in our City Charter. Other cities have ethics ordinances, and they provide important safeguards for citizens because, unlike the Miami-Dade County Ordinance that presently governs our Council, they are clear and more importantly, they provide "teeth" for enforcement in the event that they are violated by those who are elected to serve the community. At the time I suggested it, it really seemed like a no-brainer.
I am not sure whether anyone on the Council read the documents for a proposed ethics ordinance-- it was actually Doral's, and their ordinance is lengthy and specific -- but the other Council members agreed that there was no need to have a Bill of Rights or Ethics Ordinance, because "there was no one in the City who did not trust the Council."
In fact, the City Attorney suggested that we have a special meeting to discuss the particulars of the proposal and the Council rejected that as well. I moved that we have a special meeting to discuss it and it died for a lack of second. I have uploaded the video of the discussion here.
Councilwoman Bain asked me why I would even make a motion if I knew there was no support and I replied that if there was no support it would die for a lack of second. I was truly surprised to find myself surrounded by public servants who refused to discuss ethics.
Part of the ethics ordinance would include doing things that would make government more transparent and making information more available to the citizens. I have championed these causes for the entire time I have been on the Council and I will continue to do so. It was suggested to me that perhaps certain Councilmembers wanted to avoid the issue simply because it was election time. I say that election time is the best time to talk about ethics and transparency, because citizens are more engaged, and the ballot box is the only place where they can make a change to the City Charter.
It is a shame that our Council squandered the opportunity to even discuss this change. much less put it before the citizens to vote for themselves. I am deeply disappointed in Mayor Garcia and my fellow Council members for refusing to discuss the issues raised -- until this year I cannot recall a time in my four year tenure where the Council refused to even discuss an item. Even if you happen to believe that a proposal is a bad idea, you should give it a hearing, do the necessary research and fight it on its merits. That is the good government that our citizens deserve, and if I am elected, that is the way that the City Council will be run under my watch.
I am not sure whether anyone on the Council read the documents for a proposed ethics ordinance-- it was actually Doral's, and their ordinance is lengthy and specific -- but the other Council members agreed that there was no need to have a Bill of Rights or Ethics Ordinance, because "there was no one in the City who did not trust the Council."
In fact, the City Attorney suggested that we have a special meeting to discuss the particulars of the proposal and the Council rejected that as well. I moved that we have a special meeting to discuss it and it died for a lack of second. I have uploaded the video of the discussion here.
Councilwoman Bain asked me why I would even make a motion if I knew there was no support and I replied that if there was no support it would die for a lack of second. I was truly surprised to find myself surrounded by public servants who refused to discuss ethics.
Part of the ethics ordinance would include doing things that would make government more transparent and making information more available to the citizens. I have championed these causes for the entire time I have been on the Council and I will continue to do so. It was suggested to me that perhaps certain Councilmembers wanted to avoid the issue simply because it was election time. I say that election time is the best time to talk about ethics and transparency, because citizens are more engaged, and the ballot box is the only place where they can make a change to the City Charter.
It is a shame that our Council squandered the opportunity to even discuss this change. much less put it before the citizens to vote for themselves. I am deeply disappointed in Mayor Garcia and my fellow Council members for refusing to discuss the issues raised -- until this year I cannot recall a time in my four year tenure where the Council refused to even discuss an item. Even if you happen to believe that a proposal is a bad idea, you should give it a hearing, do the necessary research and fight it on its merits. That is the good government that our citizens deserve, and if I am elected, that is the way that the City Council will be run under my watch.
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