Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ethics Financial Disclosure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners debate stronger financial-disclosure rules after split committee vote
Summary
The commission discussed updating financial-disclosure requirements after a fiscal committee advanced a disclosure proposal by split vote; several commissioners said the draft should be strengthened to better reveal relationships that could affect decision-making.
Grand Rapids commissioners discussed proposals to strengthen financial-disclosure requirements for elected officials after a fiscal committee advanced a disclosure measure on a split vote.
Commissioner Robbins said there is broad support for increasing transparency and urged the public to review the committee packet to see the specific items that were advanced. “There’s pretty broad support among most of the body about doing something to increase the transparency around…financial disclosure,” Robbins said.
Commissioner Perdue said the current draft does not go far enough to clarify relationships the public wants to know about. “I don’t think as drafted it really gets to that,” Perdue said, pressing for stronger disclosure of relationships that might influence decisions.
Mayor David LeGrand and other commissioners said they support more robust disclosure as a way to rebuild public trust. “One of the ways to build trust is to be transparent,” the mayor said, describing public access to income sources and potential obligations as tools the public needs to assess conflicts.
No final ordinance was adopted at the meeting. Commissioners said they expect further discussion, possible revisions and plans to post candidate and commissioner disclosures on commission web pages if a stronger standard is agreed on. The committee’s next steps will include additional drafting and public discussion before any vote.
