A reform plan for Dallas ethics was released on Monday following several recent cases of corruption.
Former city council member Dwaine Kümmel went to jail after pleading guilty in 2018 to selling his council votes in the Dallas County Schools scandal.
In June, property developer Ruel Hamilton was convicted of paying bribes to Caraway and the late councilor Carolyn Davis for affordable housing in town hall.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson made ethics reform a priority in his 2019 election. He named Dallas Attorney Tim Powers Ethics Reform Czar. Powers set up a task force to review existing city codes and ethical guidelines in other cities.
Johnson said the task force’s work was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic but is still very important.
He said some people in the housing community were afraid to do business with the city of Dallas after the recent scandals.
“They want to do business honestly and want to know that we have a city government that is also committed to this. And I think if we implement this report that Mr Powers made, his task force, we will send a very strong message. that those days are over, “said Johnson.
The main proposal is to create an inspector general to oversee ethical complaints and enforcement in the city administration.
“We believe all the costs involved are worth the cost,” said Powers.
Johnson said the proposals would simplify the existing code of ethics and strengthen enforcement.
The Dallas City Council committees will now review the recommendations.
Here is a link to the full report.
The members of the task force were:
- Elizabeth B. Gibson, Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
- Daniel J. Micciche, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP and Dallas ISD Board of Trustees
- Professor Anna Offit, SMU Dedman School of Law
- Professor Thomas P. Perkins, Jr., UNT Dallas College of Law, former Dallas City Attorney
- Rabbi Debra J. Robbins, Emanu-El Temple
Here is a list of the Task Force’s recommendations by focus area:
- Complaint handling, enforcement and related processes
- Recommendation No. 1: Establish an independent OIG under the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
- Recommendation No. 2: Streamline / consolidate the complaints process and offer better protection against the risk of unfounded reputational damage by reconfiguring the complaint form.
- Recommendation No. 3: Allow and encourage the submission of expert opinions by the OIG.
- Recommendation No. 4: Allow cases to be resolved with the consent of the EAC to facilitate the efficient resolution of cases by agreement of the parties.
- Culture of excellence / compliance
- Recommendation # 1: Strengthen the current training program for all city officials and employees in the city.
- Recommendation # 2: Demonstrate mastery of online ethics training by city officials.
- Recommendation No. 3: Include an anti-discrimination provision in the Code of Ethics.
- Recommendation No. 4: Integrate ethical concepts into the value ambassador program.
- Recommendation # 5: Analyze and improve the effectiveness of Ethics @ Work emails.
- Conflicts of Interest
- Recommendation # 1: Simplify the conflict of interest provisions in the Code of Ethics.
- Recommendation # 2: Establish a clear chain of command for reporting violations of the Code of Ethics.
- Recommendation # 3: Update the provisions of the Code of Ethics to make a disclosure and denial error if necessary.
- Recommendation # 4: Establish a clear standard or test to determine if there is a conflict of interest
- Gifts, lobbying and reporting
- Recommendation # 1: Revise Code of Ethics to streamline and clarify gift and travel reporting.
- Recommendation 2: Clarify the recipient of any gifts or expenses
- Recommendation 3: Convert the paper reporting system to an online system with a searchable public database.
- Recommendation # 4: Clarify vague and / or unclear lobbying provisions in the Code of Ethics.
- Recommendation # 5: Set a $ 300 limit on the allowable value of gifts.
- Recommendation # 6: improve the functionality of the online lobbyists database.
- Campaign funding
- Recommendation # 1: Create an online searchable electronic database for increased transparency.
- Recommendation # 2: Set the minimum age for donors to 18.
- Recommendation # 3: Broaden the scope of the Code of Ethics to ensure that it covers actions by everyone in connection with election and campaign activities.
- Recommendation # 4: Expressly authorize a “cop on the beat”.
- Recommendation # 5: Increase the frequency of campaign funding reporting.
- Recommendation # 6: Provide comprehensive campaign funding training to candidates and employees.
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