ETHICS RULES FOR CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS

As I have stated previously, I believe that a member of City Council has a fiduciary duty to the citizens of the City of Greensboro.  That means that, if a member has a conflict between what is best for the citizens of the city as a whole and what is best for the council member personally, the member should be disqualified from taking action on the matter involved.  Since no one is able to read the mind of another to determine that person's true motives, we must rely on the appearence of propriety (that is, would a reasonable person think that a conflict of interests exists in the circumstances) to determine what types of situations would disqualify a council member.  For instance, a member would obviously be disqualified from voting to approve a contract between the city and a business in which the member owned stock.

An area in which I believe conflict exists is that of council members taking large campaign contributions from PACs established by those who have considerable dealings with the city; from executives and other agents of firms that do business with the city; or from executives or other agents of not-for-profits that receive funding from the city.  At-large City Council candidate George Hartzman has proposed a prohibition on candidates accepting such contributions.  He and I, as well as some of the other candidates for City Council seats, have made it known that we will not accept contributions to our campaigns from PACs or from those doing business with the city.

Voters, the ball is in your court.  How important do you believe it is to have a City Council whose members are independent of the special interest groups who make a great deal of money doing business with the city?  How important is it to you to have City Council members who act in the best interest of the city as a whole and not in the best interests of a few?  How important is it to you to have your voice heard in the City Council Chambers.  How important is it to you to have the city be accountable to you, the citizens of the city?

If you want an independent council member who acts in the best interest of the city as a whole, listens to the voters' desires about the direction the city takes, and reports back to you about how the city is accomplishing its goals, then vote for and support Art BOYETT for City Council, District 5, on November 3, 2009.

Art BOYETT - Your Voice on City Council

• email me at boyett2009@gmail.com to get campign literature
• send donations to Boyett for City Council, P.O. Box 18361, Grensboro, NC (Include name, address, phone number, email, and for amounts over $50 - employer and job title)
• look at my web site at boyettforcitycouncil.com

I would really like to see your comments.