Toward a more ethical state
Indeed, the county has suffered a credibility crisis in recent months as scandals have mounted. Many residents have no doubt been disgusted by what they've seen. It's hard to imagine, however, that too many county residents are actively looking to believe in government. Collectively, they have likely grown cynical. The onus is on the county to rebuild trust and make people care.
But it's not just on the county. Every level of government is suffering a credibility crisis of sorts, right up to the U.S. Senate and its recent fight over the filibuster. Rebuilding trust, countering apathy and building an appreciation for the mechanics of participatory democracy — all these things take time.
But a strong ethics policy is a good place to begin, and the county is to be commended for taking that step.
A committee consisting of county officials, advocacy groups and community members unveiled an initial proposal for ethics reform Tuesday. It calls for an end to nepotism in hiring, except for seasonal work, and strict new limits on gifts, limiting the value of anything an official could receive to $20, and then only four times a year by any one group.
Also, a recent disclosure of problems by a whistle-blower led some officials to express more concern about tracking down who leaked the information than about addressing the problems it uncovered. Clearly, the county has a lot of work to do.
The discussion is good, however. At least Salt Lake County is making the effort to establish a comprehensive policy. When is the state Legislature going to do the same? When will lawmakers understand that gift bans and lobby reforms are more than just irritants to satisfy the cranky media, they are essential to ensure the public that its concerns truly matter? And will all other counties and cities in the state undergo a similar exercise, even though they may not have been plagued by scandal?
Ultimately, no ethics policy is worth much without ethical people. Unless public officials understand their role as public servants who administer a sacred trust — the public treasury — abuses will continue in subtle ways. Longtime County Councilman Randy Horiuchi hit that when he said, "Just by having all these policies doesn't necessarily make it a cleaner and better government. It's the people who serve; it's their moral fabric."
For too long, however, public officials in Utah have gotten by with little more than their own assurances they are honest. A tough ethics policy sets a standard. All other Utah governments should follow the county's lead.
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