The committee voted unanimously to recommend establishment of an Oakland County financial disclosure policy to the full board after extended debate over scope and enforcement.

Commissioner Erickson Gault presented an amended policy she said was tailored to county operations and intended to improve transparency. She described the measure as modeled on state reporting but adapted to county needs. Commissioners discussed whether the policy should be voluntary or binding, whether candidates should be asked to file disclosures, and how the county might urge state lawmakers to create enforceable rules.

Deputy CFO Cheryl Johnson explained the county’s use of the Inflation Rate Multiplier (IRM) — a state tax commission calculation — in other routine adjustments, answering commissioner questions about how staff calculates certain annual increases. Several commissioners said the county’s policy is the maximum the board can require now and that any binding requirements for other elected officials would require statutory change at the state level.

Commissioner Erickson Gault framed the proposal as a tool to give voters clearer information about potential conflicts: “ethics and transparency in these issues are not one size fits all,” she said, arguing the amendment better fits county offices than the state model. Supporters said the policy also asks the board to encourage state lawmakers to extend similar rules to other counties and candidates.

The committee voted to recommend the policy to the board by a recorded vote of 7-0. The recommendation includes the Erickson Gault amendments as presented and encourages countywide nonjudicial elected officials and their deputies to voluntarily comply.

What happens next: The measure is forwarded to the full board for consideration; commissioners and staff said they will continue discussions about practical enforcement and whether to press the legislature for a statewide standard.