Providence, Rhode Island City Hall
ICMA shared an article on promoting ethical local government by Michael A. Gillette, PhD.
- Accountability: Local governments must be accountable to the public for their actions. This means that they must be transparent about their decision-making process and be willing to answer to the public for their decisions.
- Transparency: Local governments must be transparent about their finances and operations. This means that they must make public their budgets, contracts, and other financial documents.
- Integrity: Local governments must act with integrity in all of their dealings. This means that they must avoid conflicts of interest and make decisions based on the best interests of the public, not their own personal gain.
- Efficiency: Local governments must be efficient in their use of resources. This means that they must use taxpayer money wisely and avoid waste.
Gillette also shares specific steps that local governments can take to promote ethics:
- Setting the tone from the outset: It is important for elected officials and top management to set a good example by behaving ethically. This means that they should avoid conflicts of interest and make decisions based on the best interests of the public.
- Providing training on ethics: Local governments should provide training on ethics to all employees. This training should cover topics such as conflict of interest, whistleblowing, and ethical decision-making.
- Having an ethics hotline: Local governments should have an ethics hotline where employees can report unethical behavior without fear of retaliation.
- Enforcing the code of ethics: Local governments should have a process for enforcing their code of ethics. This process should be fair and impartial, and it should be used to hold employees accountable for their actions.
When local governments are ethical, they are more likely to be efficient, effective, and responsive to the needs of the public.