By Joe F. Rodriguez
Special to El Rrun-Rrun
“Ethics in Open Government” is a “Sine Qua Non” for Success!Three years ago on June 2013, I wrote a follow-up editorial to a January 2013 guest editorial regarding the City of San Benito’s violation of “City Charter Article VIII GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 8.01. Conflicts of Interest” (aka: Ethics Ordinance).
The Section specifically states: …. “a) Conflicts of Interest. The use of public office for private gain is prohibited. The City Commission shall implement this prohibition by ORDINANCE.”
To this date, the “Ethics Ordinance” was on the agenda for discussion at the March 2, 2013 City Commission Workshop at the Rancho Viejo Resort & Country Club and on the March 5, 2013 City Commission Regular Meeting (where it was tabled because the ordinance needed further review/editing). Mr. Lara again placed it on the agenda of the workshop held on Monday, July 15, 2013.
The topic was not even discussed since no Commissioner was willing to discuss it; again, more time was needed.Why should you care about an ethics ordinance and the compliance to the Home Rule City Charter?
The voter-adopted City Charter is the medium through which the citizens of San Benito limit and control the powers and responsibilities of their City government. The City provides many services through responsible use of taxpayer dollars. If the Charter provides the opportunity for “accountable
leadership”, the City can improve the quality and quantity of services delivered to the public.
The City Charter is the “Constitution” for the City. Just as the United States Constitution serves as the “supreme law of the land” for our country, the San Benito Charter serves as the basic tenet or set of rules for our City government. The San Benito Charter limits City officials in much the same way that the Constitution constrains the officials of the federal government. They are not allowed to pass any law or act in any way the Charter prohibits.
The Charter establishes the boundaries that San Benito’s taxpayers have imposed upon their City government. It is the source of the City’s system of checks and balances, prescribing the relationship between the two branches of government: the Mayor and the City Commission and the interaction of the City Attorney with both. The Mayor’s authority to recommend policies and the Commission’s power to enact policy are all established by the Charter as the City’s basic law.
On May 6, 2017, the City of San Benito will be holding an election where four City Commission positions are up for grab – three in the regular election and another in a special election. In view of the fact that after five years of pending action on the proposed Ethics Ordinance with no action taken and as an ardent proponent of “Open Government and Transparency”, I would proffer that voters support candidates who promise to support the adoption of an Ethics Ordinance as mandated by the voter-approved City Charter.
The City Commission has become a politician’s fief which, in my opinion, individual pettiness and self-imposed political boundaries have superseded “Common Sense Governance”. Seriously, How much time do you need to read, understand, and vote “Yes or No” on an ordinance?
Again, Ethics is a “Sine Qua Non” for open government. As my late friend, Mark Cassidy, used to say “Reform San Benito”!
Again, Ethics is a “Sine Qua Non” for open government. As my late friend, Mark Cassidy, used to say “Reform San Benito”!
10 comments:
The MAYOR N SOME OF THE COMMISSION WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS NOT BEING ABLE TO PASS THE ETHICS ORDINANCE In THE THREE YEARS THEY HELD THEIR ELECTED POSITION. WHAT A SHAME AND EMBARRASSMENT FOR SAN BENITO.
No ethics here,
Galvan committed perjury when he tried to suspend officer Escobedo and attorneys made him look stupid for being dishonest.
Galvan and his sexual harassment on a female that was covered up by ex-chief Martin Morales. (That's why Martin has a 8-4 desk job with weekends off now.)
And that's why everyone is leaving or applying else where cause of his bad management of the police department.
Your a joke Galvan, and all the departments cases wiill be dismissed if defense attorneys bring up your integrity and dishonesty.
sad,that no officers at your department like you at all.
License plate: HERPES
Why does galvan hold the position of police chief if he committed perjury according to 3:45. If so GALVAN broke the cardinal rule of law enforcement being honest. He can no longer be effective as a law enforcement officer, can't testify in hearings and how can he issue discipline. His honesty will forever be questioned. But again in San benito do as I say not as u do.
Escobedo. You mean the guy who lost his job for lying after he crashed 3 police cars. I also hear that Galvan had the female investigated for helping deliver cocaine for a friend. People are trying to control Galvan but they can't so now they are trying to control how people look at him. Eventually the truth will come out and people will realize that he is a guinuine person who is trying to clean the place up. If people left it is probably because they knew their days were numbered. The good old boys are not in charge anymore.
I heard that a bunch of people were going to start protesting to get Chief Galvan out of his position. The drug dealers, game room owners, crooked politicians and ex fired employees were all going to rise up and join forces to oust him. Really? Chief Galvan. Keep up the great work and put them all in jail if you have to. Great things to come from what I hear. FBI, Texas Rangers and DA have all looked into allegations and he came out clean. Galvan 10. Losers 0.
Whatever,,,, he lived next to scumbag drug dealers when he was living on Norma Lee and did nothing but let the house smell like marijuana all day and night. Then he would lie ,like he always does, to his neighbors saying he was working case on them and didn't want to mess up the case. Chicken cop is all I see. Lmfao!!
Code of ethics?! They wouldn't want that, because then they can't do their kick backs and under the table deals anymore! LOL!
Sounds to me like you are really close to him. Ex fired employee or neighbor. Interesting. One of the ones he is investigating probably. Typical typical. Same old story about how crooked he is or how he didn't do his job but yet he is on top. Must mean that the rest must really be criminals and scum of the earth. If he is the best San Benito had for a chief. Now I am afraid to go to San Benito. A real hole in the wall. Totally crooked police force. If all these officers don't measure up and yet no one has done anything to him. Questions questions. Maybe he put you in jail and your just pissed off. Maybe he fired you and this is all you got. Posting crap on rrun rrun. Trolling around the blog site. Maybe you should just fall off the planet because no one really cares about you and now this is the highlight of your day. Crawl back to you hole and die now. Good day. I said good day.
Isn't San benito the one that forced officer AYALA to retire when he had cancer.The city says no AYALA retired on his own no the city left him no choice but to protect his retirement so he could provide for his family. But look what happened Ayala is cancer free now and holds the office as justice of the peace. No wonder the ethics ordinance has not passed in over four years.
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