Who wouldn't want an Ethics Policy?

The Palm Beach Post recently said, " Palm Beach County has spent a lot of effort moving forward on the difficult path of ethics reform. Against the backdrop of multiple investigations and prosecutions of public officials, elected and non-elected, at the federal and state levels, the public has seen how we have been victimized by corruption fueled by greed and arrogance."
Commentary: Put municipalities under ethics scrutiny along with county

In today's Post, it endorses the Palm Beach County Ethics Reform which is on the November 2 ballot, the last item listed on your ballot. It reads as follows:

REQUIRING COUNTY CODE OF ETHICS, INDEPENDENT ETHICS COMMISSION AND INDEPENDENT INSPECTOR GENERAL

Shall the Palm Beach County Charter be amended to require the Board of County Commissioners to establish by ordinances applicable to Palm Beach County and all municipalities approving this amendment; a Code of Ethics, an independent Commission on Ethics funded by the County Commission and an independent Inspector General funded by the County Commission and all other governmental agencies subject to the authority of the Inspector General? (YES) (NO)

Who wouldn't want an ethics policy? Excuses from the Sheriff to be exempt from an Ethics Law as well as Commissioner Scott Maxwell's citing the possibility of not remembering who has contributed to his campaign, were dissed by the Palm Beach Post. Also, an ethics policy would stop the political shinangans of Scott Maxwell that occurred yesterday at his Town Meeting--a worthwhile event that was tainted by him. As I did not stay to the very end of this meeting, it has just come to my attention that at the end of the meeting, a political flier was passed out urging the public to help him gain the 2 supporting votes on the dais.

In any successful political campaign, three things matter the most: Discipline, organization and a clear message. Scott Maxwell had all three yesterday and managed to get his message across by implying if you vote for two candidates you will get lower electric bills. To use the City and its Staff in this manner is revolting behavior by an elected official. This should be addressed by the City Commission at the next regularly scheduled meeting and this Commissioner must be censored, controlled and told to follow protocol.

We can thank Commissioner Cara Jennings for pursuing an Ethics Policy for the past two years and who was stymied by politics. Her pursuit of an ethics policy is approved by Commissioner Suzanne Mulvehill as well as Candidate for District 2, Christopher McVoy. After November 2, we might just be under Palm Beach County's oversight for ethics and pay to play violations and even have our own, more stringent policy.

Vote YES on November 2 on requiring a Code of Ethics and an Independent Ethics Commission.