A CEILING ON some campaign contributions to city candidates and a requirement that officials who hire family members go before a board of ethics were among the highlights of an ordinance proposed Tuesday by a committee established by Mayor Harold Washington.
City officials also would be required to fully disclose any financial interests with an individual or firm doing business with the city and would be prohibited from voting on or debating issues affecting those interests.
”This administration and both the majority and minority bloc in the
(Chicago) City Council have said quite openly that they want to take reform steps,” said Rev. Donald Benedict, chairman of the Mayor`s Committee on Ethics in Government. ”I think this ordinance takes them at their word.”
At a news conference Tuesday, Rev. Benedict said the proposed ordinance was being reviewed by the city`s Law Department and would probably be introduced in the city council this month.
WASHINGTON, WHO established the committee early last year, met with members Friday for three hours and gave his endorsement to the proposed ordinance, Rev. Benedict said.
Rev. Benedict said he has hope for the plan because the committee included Washington allies and aldermen from the anti-administration majority. However, Ald. Martin Oberman (43d), a minority bloc member, said the ordinance would probably have rough going in the city council.
”I don`t assume this will sail through the council without changes,”
Oberman said. But ”the old days are gone. . . I think anything we get will be meaningful.”
Also at the news conference were Aldermen Timothy Evans (4th) and David Orr (49th). Majority bloc Aldermen William Krystyniak (23d) and Joseph Kotlarz (35th) were on the committee but were not at the news conference.
SPOKESMEN FOR majority bloc leaders Ald. Edward Vrdolyak (10th) and Ald. Edward Burke (14th) said they would not comment until they saw the proposed ordinance.
The city version is modeled on state law but goes much further.
Not only would a financial disclosure have to be made but the ordinance would go beyond state law to require debt information and disclosure of land owned within the six-county metropolitan area and income from businesses doing business with the city.
A limit of $1,500 per candidate per year would be imposed on campaign contributions from city contractors or those with bids pending before the city or land developers who must obtain permits and licenses from the city. No limit now exists on such contributions.
No state or federal law prohibits a city official from hiring a member of his or her immediate family. However, the proposed ordinance would set up a seven-member board of ethics to review such cases.
”Whether it`s legal or not is not the issue,” Oberman said. ”When you`re in government you should set an example of behavior.”
He said the final remedy will ”be at the polling place.”
