Published:Tuesday, April 15, 2008 10:34 AM PDT
Serving the South Coast of Oregon

More officials resign as ethics deadline nears
Tuesday, April 15, 2008 10:34 AM PDT

ELGIN (AP) — Officials throughout the state have until Tuesday to comply with rules that require them to list sources of income, family members and business interests with the Oregon Government Ethics Commission.

But the number of small-town officials who have quit rather than provide the information is fast approaching 100. On Monday, the Elgin mayor and City Council joined the rebellion.

It’s unclear what effect, if any, a lack of local government would have on the lives of those who live in small towns.

Scott Winkels, spokesman for the League of Oregon Cities, noted that city councils and planning commissions approve budgets, act on development requests and often oversee water, sewer, street and police services.

Many state and local officials have filed Statement of Economic Interest forms since 1974. But the vote that created the Ethics Commission and established financial disclosure rules allowed local jurisdictions to opt out — and six mostly rural counties and 97 small cities did.

The 2007 Legislature dropped the opt-out rule. Now officials ranging from Gov. Ted Kulongoski all the way down to planning commission members in towns like Elgin must file the annual reports.

That has led to the flurry of resignations from those who either have something to hide, or don’t feel their financial business is anyone else’s business.

The governor has convened a group to review the reporting requirements. But in a letter to officials, Kulongoski said Oregonians are entitled to open government and the assurance that officials are “making decisions based on the public’s best interest, rather than for personal gain.”

But Ron Bersin, executive director of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, predicted the 2009 Legislature will change the reporting requirements.

“I don’t think it’s going to blow over,” he said.


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