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Published June 28, 2004

When talking ethics, there's no such thing as dumb query

Ever so slowly the residents of Northwest Indiana are beginning to believe that ethics in government is not an oxymoron. Last September at an Ethics Symposium put on by the Northwest Indiana Local Government Academy we took what was described at the time as the first step in a long journey. I had a recent encounter in Myrtle Beach , South Carolina that brought home the fact that we still have a long way to go.

I had the opportunity to be part of a delegation from Northwest Indiana that flew the inaugural Hooters Air flight from the Gary/Chicago Airport to Myrtle Beach . During our time in Myrtle Beach we met with numerous community representatives. One of the participants that day was a Myrtle Beach City Councilman.

As we concluded the meeting, I made a point of asking the councilman if his city had an ethics ordinance. He looked at me as if somewhat surprised. My immediate thought was that I had just proven there was such a thing as a dumb question. His response was very telling however. He replied that in this day and age it was difficult to imagine any community not having an ethics ordinance. He couldn't believe my question; I couldn't believe his answer.

That evening on the flight back to Gary/Chicago, I kept repeating in my mind the councilman's response to my question earlier that day. Once again the point was driven home that Indiana has done far too little in terms of developing an ethics framework. Not even the State Legislature has a functioning ethics system. While only a handful of municipalities in the state have even attempted pass ethics ordinances, the good news is that the majority of those municipalities are in Northwest Indiana .

It is time we get beyond asking ourselves whether or not ethics ordinances are necessary. They are. The study "Transforming the Economy of Northwest Indiana," released in December 2000, identified mistrust of and by local political leaders as one of the major problems to be addressed in our area. Adopting ethics ordinances is a step in rebuilding that trust.

June 21st, the City of LaPorte became the latest community in Northwest Indiana to adopt an ethics ordinance. Mayor Morris has been a leading proponent of ethics in government since he took office. The mayor and the Council are to be commended. It didn't happen without significant debate however, and the ordinance passed only after Mayor Morris cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of adoption.

The reason I mention this is because one of the members of the council was quoted the next day as having said that he didn't believe an ethics ordinance was necessary. "You are either ethical or you're not ethical." He misses the point. Ethics and ethics ordinances are not about keeping honest people honest, it's about setting minimum expectations. It is about restoring trust in local government.

Myrtle Beach , South Carolina nine hundred miles away distance wise, light years away political culture wise.