This Wednesday evening, the Commissioners of St. Michaels will likely choose to ask the State Ethics Commission to reconsider the town’s application for an exemption to the new state ethics law passed by the General Assembly in 2010. The state, recognizing that small towns differ from larger jurisdictions in many ways, allows some small towns to be exempted from the law. To date, some 80 towns have been exempted.
St. Michaels has been exempted from the lobbying portion of the law, but the town’s initial request for a complete exemption was denied. Given the town’s small population, and in spite of its budget size (due to tourism), many believe that forcing potential public officials to disclose this much personal and family information is unnecessary. The town has had an ethics commission and policy in place for years, and has a functioning process by which members of the public can question the ethics of a public servant’s actions.
At issue is the question of the long term impact of such a law. Should St. Michaels enact the State’s Model B law, then any elected Commissioner will be required to fill out this form.
Go ahead and print out those 13 pages, and put yourself in the shoes of someone who is considering running for a leadership position in town. Would you be willing to share all of that information with the public? In the dysfunctional social climate of a small town like St. Michaels, would it be worth the pain for the thankless job of a town commissioner? Probably not.
There goes your pool of willing leaders.
Let your voice be heard by showing up at Wednesday’s meeting of the St. Michaels Commissioners (5:00 pm Wednesday Sept 11th in the town hall) or by writing to the State Ethics Commission at 45 Calvert Street, 3rd Floor, Annapolis, Maryland 21401.
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