Ethics training is a problem at the local level. It's expensive, and
there aren't many experienced local government ethics trainers around.
Online ethics training has recently become the answer, but even this is

So much of government ethics involves the contrast, and sometimes the
collision, between ethics and law. Too often the personal aspect of
government ethics is overlooked. All three get twisted together in a
very simple matter that occurred last week in the Escondido (CA) city
council, according to <a href="http://www.northcountytimes.com/articles/2009/01/31/news/inland/escondi…; target="”_blank”">an

Sometimes, those who write or amend local government ethics codes forget to make it
clear exactly who is covered by an ethics code. Sometimes there is
discussion about who should have to file annual disclosure statements,
and sometimes there is discussion about whether volunteers should be
covered. But too often individuals and bodies not central to local
government are ignored.<br>

When it really comes down to it (and it usually does), what is the
greatest enemy of trust in government, or anywhere else for that
matter? Greed, power, ego, loyalty? I'd put my money on (or against)
rationalization, the ability of people to justify what they do and fail
to do.<br>

It's hard not to get excited about our new president when he says and
does the right things when it comes to government ethics. In <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/FreedomofInformationAct/&quot; target="”_blank”">a
memo</a> to heads of executive departments and agencies, President
Obama wrote:<ul>

Gifts to local governments have become an issue recently in Sacramento,
CA and Richland Hills, TX. <a href="http://www.cityethics.org/node/123&quot; target="”_blank”">I
wrote about various aspects of this issue over two years ago</a>. It's
time to raise it with respect to concrete examples.<br>
<br>
Basically, gifts to local governments by businesses and individuals
with a business relationship to the local government carry a strong

<b>See updates below</b><br>
<br>
It's refreshing to feel good after reading a mayor's statement in
response to <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/11450080/Warrant">a warrant for his arrest</a>. According to <a href="http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-perez0127.artjan27,0,4916395.story…; target="”_blank”">an

Here's a more interesting story out of Massachusetts, this one from the
state Senate. Former state senator Dianne Wilkerson admits having
accepted up to $70,000 from friends and supporters in what is being called personal fundraising, that is, raising money to pay off personal debts. She says that the gifts were approved by the state

Massachusetts House Speaker Sal DiMasi will be resigning his house seat
tomorrow, according to <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/01/26/dima…; target="”_blank”">an

Former New York State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno has been <a href="http://news.findlaw.com/nytimes/docs/nys/usbruno12309ind.html&quot; target="”_blank”">indicted</a>
by a federal grand jury, but his biggest crime was not taking millions
of dollars in so-called consulting fees. His biggest crime was standing
in the way of any meaningful ethics reform in New York State.<br>