Showing posts with label Erratum Ethics and morality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Erratum Ethics and morality. Show all posts

Friday, March 20, 2015

My copy of the pamphlet on the 1979 Maryland Public Ethics Law and some thoughts on the current Maryland Ethics disclosure law.

My copy of the pamphlet on the 1979 Maryland Public Ethics Law and some thoughts on the current Maryland Ethics disclosure law.


For your files, please find from my old papers a copy of a pamphlet that the State Dept. of Legislative References published in early 1979 about the newly enacted Maryland Public Ethics Law which went into effect on July 1, 1979.

I have long-since forgotten the context of the law or what particular incident may have precipitated the law.

I do remember that at the time fulfilling the requirements of the law were relatively effortless and unremarkable.

According to some individuals close to the situation, “legislation enacted by the Maryland General Assembly in 2010 required local ethics ordinances to be at least as stringent as state law. At the time, many municipal government officials expressed alarm over the breadth of the new financial disclosure requirements. Municipal officials were concerned that the broad requirements would deter capable new candidates from seeking local office and influence current elected officials to decline to seek reelection.

“Bills introduced in the 2014 session of the General Assembly by Senator Raskin and Delegates Gilchrist and Haddaway-Riccio sought to exempt local municipal elected officials from disclosing certain items.

In 2015, the Maryland Municipal League is taking a different approach to this legislation. Rather than exempting elected municipal officials and candidates for municipal office from filing financial disclosure statements, or certain information therein, this legislation would shield certain confidential information from public inspection absent a finding by a local ethics commission of a violation of any part of the municipalities’ financial disclosure or conflict of interest requirements.

“Specifically, the law would shield information regarding a spouse or dependent child, and, unless related to a business entity with which the municipality has conducted business within the last 10 years, the candidate or elected official’s interests in real property located outside the municipal corporation, interests in corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies, employment information, and indebtedness.

“All of the above information would still be reported and submitted to the local ethics commission, be available to the local board of elections, and to the courts; however, it would not be releasable to the public absent a finding by the ethics commission of a violation.”

I was elected to the Common Council of the City of Westminster in 1999 and served as Mayor from 2001 until 2005.  In these capacities, and particularly as Mayor, I expended numerous hours engaged in activities in furtherance of the interests of the City and its residents and businesses.

At all times during my elected service, I worked in non-City-related employment, as a businessman, farmer, artist, and free-lance journalist.

I currently find the requirements of the Model Ordinance to be unreasonably burdensome. Although, in my capacity as an elected official, I thoroughly understand that I have no reasonable expectation of privacy as to information that is relevant to my service as a municipal employee, the Model Ordinance presents an opportunity for an excessive arbitrary invasion of my personal privacy, unrelated to the purpose and intent of the State Public Ethics Law, because the required disclosures would include information neither relevant, material, nor reasonably calculated to lead to the disclosure of pertinent information related in any way to my public service.

I take pride and satisfaction in my past service for our citizens as an elected official in Westminster, notwithstanding the fact that my expenses as an elected official exceeded the compensation provided by the Charter of the City of Westminster

I am unaware of any conduct by a City elected official or by a candidate for City elective office during my tenure that presented either a conflict of interest or the appearance of conflict of interest that would have been identified and corrected by the Model Ordinance but that would have been missed by the City’s Proposed Ordinance.

In my view, the provisions of the Model Ordinance, if not modified and revised as set forth in the City’s Proposed Ordinance, impose a substantial hardship and an undue intrusion upon the personal privacy of persons who choose to run for and serve in public office in the City of Westminster, without accomplishing any significant benefit in terms of protecting the public that would justify the hardship or invasion of privacy.

Although I, along with current and former municipal officials throughout the state, understand that in order for municipal government, the government that is closest to the people, to be effective, it must be transparent and open, approachable and accessible.

Strong ethics ordinances are critical for local government to effective, vibrant and meaningful.

My family has been involved in municipal government for many-generations dating back to before the 1890s. It is my insight that adoption of the Model Ordinance is over-kill and as such would significantly reduce the availability of qualified individuals for public service and encourages currently- elected officials to decline to seek reelection.

I do not know the status of the current legislation in the Maryland General Assembly. I do know that the current law is so severe, punishing and draconian that many good folks who would make great local municipal officials have quietly opted-out of participating in local government as a result of the new law.

Many current officials have determined that it is punitive in nature but find themselves unwilling to publicly challenge it for fear of being subjected to political and media ridicule – so they have simply decided to quietly opt-out from serving.

It should be further noted that no one can serve in public office without the support of their family. Family members across the state have objected to disclosing aspects of their personal life that have nothing to do with the material conduct of municipal government.

The nature and breadth of issues that municipal government officials deal with are far narrower than those that state and even county officials address. It stands to reason that the nature and breadth of financial disclosure of municipal officials versus state officials should parallel those differences.

Just saying


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Baltimore Sun Carroll Eagle: 



Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff

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Kevin Dayhoff is an artist - and a columnist for:

Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff

Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net



Smurfs: http://babylonfluckjudd.blogspot.com/

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E-mail: kevindayhoff(at)gmail.com

My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/


See also - Kevin Earl Dayhoff Art www.kevindayhoff.com: Travel, art, artists, authors, books, newspapers, media, writers and writing, journalists and journalism, reporters and reporting, music, culture, opera... Ad maiorem Dei gloriam inque hominum salutem. “Deadline U.S.A.” 1952. Ed Hutcheson: “That's the press, baby. The press! And there's nothing you can do about it. Nothing!” - See more at: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/#sthash.4HNLwtfd.dpuf
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Saturday, March 17, 2012

New York Times Greg Smith: Why I Am Leaving Goldman Sachs

New York Times Greg Smith: Why I Am Leaving Goldman Sachs


OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR

Why I Am Leaving Goldman Sachs

By GREG SMITH

March 14, 2012

TODAY is my last day at Goldman Sachs. After almost 12 years at the firm — first as a summer intern while at Stanford, then in New York for 10 years, and now in London — I believe I have worked here long enough to understand the trajectory of its culture, its people and its identity. And I can honestly say that the environment now is as toxic and destructive as I have ever seen it.



To put the problem in the simplest terms, the interests of the client continue to be sidelined in the way the firm operates and thinks about making money. Goldman Sachs is one of the world’s largest and most important investment banks and it is too integral to global finance to continue to act this way. The firm has veered so far from the place I joined right out of college that I can no longer in good conscience say that I identify with what it stands for… http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/14/opinion/why-i-am-leaving-goldman-sachs.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all&src=ISMR_AP_LO_MST_FB

Related




"Leadership used to be about ideas, setting an example and doing the right thing. Today, if you make enough money for the firm (and are not currently an ax murderer) you will be promoted into a position of influence." …http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wendell-potter/goldman-sachs-greg-smith_b_1362755.html?ref=politics&ir=Politics







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I’m a newspaper reporter. I’m pushy, inconsiderate and I do not respect boundaries.
Kevin Dayhoff is an artist - and a columnist for:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoffTwitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff
Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net

Tumblr: Kevin Dayhoff Banana Stems www.kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/
Smurfs: http://babylonfluckjudd.blogspot.com/
Google profile: https://profiles.google.com/kevindayhoff/

E-mail: kevindayhoff(at)gmail.com
My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/
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Thursday, June 25, 2009

Mark Sanford – Don’t Cry for me Argentina




Mark Sanford – Don’t Cry for me Argentina


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrx5Ve7y0xM



Lyrics to Don't Cry For Me Argentina (Evita)
:
It won't be easy
You'll think it strange
When I try to explain how I feel
That I still need your love
After ll that I've done
You won't believe me
All you will see
Is a girl you once knew
Although she's dressd up to the nines
At sixes and sevens with you

I had to let it happen
I had to change
Couldn't stay all my life down at heel
Looking out of the window
Staying out of the sun
So I chose freedom
Running around trying everything new
But nothing impressed me at all
I never expected it too

Don't cry for me Argentina
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance

And as for fortune and as for fame
I never invited them in
Though it seemed to the world
They were all I desired
They are illusions
They're not the solutions
They promise to be
The answer was here all the time
I love you and hope you love me

Don't cry for me Argentina

Don't cry for me Argentina
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance

Have I said to much?
There's nothing more I can think of to say to you
But all you have to do
Is look at me to know
That every word is true
[ Don't Cry For Me Argentina (Evita) Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]


Artist: Andrew Lloyd Webber lyrics

Title: Don't Cry For Me Argentina (Evita)






20090625 SDOSM Mark Sanford Dont cry for me Argentina


Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: www.kevindayhoff.net Kevin Dayhoff Art: www.kevindayhoffart.com Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: www.westgov.net Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1040426835

Kevin Dayhoff: www.westgov.net Westminster Maryland Online www.westminstermarylandonline.net http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/

Sanford's Presser: Instant Classic Sanford del Presser: Clásico Instantáneo

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Sanford's Presser: Instant Classic Sanford del Presser: Clásico Instantáneo

Jueves, 25 de junio de 2009

Sanford's Presser: Instant Classic Sanford del Presser: Clásico Instantáneo



Mark Sanford's press conference. Did you watch that performance? Sanford marca la conferencia de prensa. ¿Te ha ver que el rendimiento? Wow. Wow. He just... Acaba ... he just kept going. que acaba de mantener. How did it compare to some classic political meltdowns of the past? ¿Cómo comparar a algunos políticos clásicos crisis de los últimos? Favorably! Favorablemente!

He was 24 minutes late to the podium and then he rambled, just straight-up rambled, apologizing to literally everyone he's ever met, talking about dinosaur sheets and "Adventure Trips," becoming tearful, and wasting a full ten minutes of rambling before finally admitted to cheating on his wife. Él fue de 24 minutos tarde a la tribuna y luego rambled, justo recto hasta rambled, pedir disculpas a todo el mundo está literalmente conocido, hablando de hojas y dinosaurios "aventura", convirtiéndose en lágrimas, y gastar un pleno de diez minutos antes de senderismo admitidos a engaño sobre su esposa. He cheated on his wife for a year with some friend from Argentina, and his wife has known for five months, and the affair just continued, while he worked on his marriage, and it was not until he disappeared on Fathers' Day (to spend "five days of my life crying") and the media caught wind that something might be up here that he decided it was time to apologize to his family and maybe stop the affair. Él engañó a su esposa durante un año con algún amigo de Argentina, y su esposa ha conocido durante cinco meses, y el asunto sólo continuó, mientras trabajaba en su matrimonio, y no fue hasta que desapareció en los Padres Día (para pasar "cinco días de mi vida llorando") y los medios de comunicación que capturan el viento podría ser algo aquí que decidió que era hora de pedir disculpas a su familia y, quizás, dejar el asunto.

It was a bravura live political meltdown. Se trata de un colapso político bravura vivir. Though it was dissimilar in tone, it was a cousin to Blago's classic presser. Aunque fue distinta en el tono, es un primo del clásico a Blago prensatelas. Not the first one, with the poetry, but the classic Friday afternoon performance about the children with cancer . No es la primera, con la poesía, pero el clásico el viernes por la tarde sobre el rendimiento de los niños con cáncer. Or maybe the one about cowboys? But while Blago filibusters and mugs and grins, Sanford just bared way, way too much of his soul. O quizás una sobre vaqueros? Pero mientras Blago filibusteros y tazas y sonríe, Sanford sólo se descubrió modo, demasiado de su alma.

It blew away Spitzer's one minute apology —He took questions! Se volaron un minuto Spitzer de la disculpa-Entiende preguntas! His wife was at home!—and Clinton's initial denial and eventual apology were, in comparison, boring. Su esposa estaba en casa! Clinton-y la denegación inicial y eventual disculpas fueron, en comparación, aburrido.

It was Terrell Owens-esque, actually . Se Terrell Owens-esque, en realidad. Sure, he could've blamed outside forces, like when Mark Foley's attorney blamed booze and priests . Claro, podría haber culpado fuerzas externas, como cuando el abogado de Mark Foley culpó alcohol y sacerdotes. But no. Pero no. He had no excuses. Él no tenía excusas. That made any sense. Que tuvo sentido.

It was reminiscent, especially with the wife's glaring absence, of the pre-9/11 Rudy Giuliani classic, "I am telling the press about my separation from my wife before I tell my wife." Se recuerda, especialmente con la notoria ausencia de la esposa, de la pre-9/11 Rudy Giuliani clásico, "Estoy diciendo la prensa acerca de mi separación de mi esposa antes de que yo le digo a mi esposa."

Sanford didn't have a single sound bite as classic as Nixon's "last press conference" (well, maybe "the biggest self of self is indeed self"), but it will provide us with many days of joy, until Tim Pawlenty's "I am addicted to meth" conference next month. Sanford no tiene una sola mordida como sonido clásico como Nixon "última conferencia de prensa" (bueno, tal vez "el mayor libre de la libre es, en efecto, libre"), pero nos dará muchos días de alegría, hasta que Tim Pawlenty "I soy adicto a la metanfetamina "conferencia el próximo mes.


Sanford's instant classic in full: Sanford del clásico en su totalidad:

Sphere: Related Content Esfera: los contenidos relacionados con la

Sphere: Related Content



Kevin Dayhoff: www.westgov.net Westminster Maryland Online www.westminstermarylandonline.net http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/http://tinyurl.com/nbl7fp

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Starving Artists


Todd Sullivan Cartoon: Starving Artists

March 8, 2009

I came across this cartoon earlier in the day. It belongs to a cartoonist by the name of Todd Sullivan. I was not able to find much information about Mr. Sullivan…

The cartoon depicts much of what I feel are the wrong priorities about art and artists…

20090308 FB SDOSM T Sullivan Cartoon Starving Artists
Kevin Dayhoff Art http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/
Kevin Dayhoff: www.westgov.net Westminster Maryland Online www.westminstermarylandonline.net http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Studies: Death Penalty Discourages Crime

Studies: Death Penalty Discourages Crime

AP Monday, June 11, 2007

Anti-death penalty forces have gained momentum in the past few years, with a moratorium in Illinois, court disputes over lethal injection in more than a half-dozen states and progress toward outright abolishment in New Jersey.

The steady drumbeat of DNA exonerations — pointing out flaws in the justice system — has weighed against capital punishment. The moral opposition is loud, too, echoed in Europe and the rest of the industrialized world, where all but a few countries banned executions years ago.

What gets little notice, however, is a series of academic studies over the last half-dozen years that claim to settle a once hotly debated argument — whether the death penalty acts as a deterrent to murder. The analyses say yes. They count between three and 18 lives that would be saved by the execution of each convicted killer.

The reports have horrified death penalty opponents and several scientists, who vigorously question the data and its implications.

So far, the studies have had little impact on public policy. New Jersey's commission on the death penalty this year dismissed the body of knowledge on deterrence as "inconclusive."

But the ferocious argument in academic circles could eventually spread to a wider audience, as it has in the past.

"Science does really draw a conclusion. It did. There is no question about it," said Naci Mocan, an economics professor at the University of Colorado at Denver. "The conclusion is there is a deterrent effect."

A 2003 study he co-authored, and a 2006 study that re-examined the data, found that each execution results in five fewer homicides, and commuting a death sentence means five more homicides. "The results are robust, they don't really go away," he said. "I oppose the death penalty. But my results show that the death penalty (deters) — what am I going to do, hide them?"

Statistical studies like his are among a dozen papers since 2001 that capital punishment has deterrent effects. They all explore the same basic theory — if the cost of something (be it the purchase of an apple or the act of killing someone) becomes too high, people will change their behavior (forego apples or shy from murder).

To explore the question, they look at executions and homicides, by year and by state or county, trying to tease out the impact of the death penalty on homicides by accounting for other factors, such as unemployment data and per capita income, the probabilities of arrest and conviction, and more.

Among the conclusions:

[…]

The studies' conclusions drew a philosophical response from a well-known liberal law professor, University of Chicago's Cass Sunstein. A critic of the death penalty, in 2005 he co-authored a paper titled "Is capital punishment morally required?"

[…]

"We just don't have enough data to say anything," said Justin Wolfers, an economist at the Wharton School of Business who last year co-authored a sweeping critique of several studies, and said they were "flimsy" and appeared in "second-tier journals."

[…]

Then, economist Isaac Ehrlich had also concluded that executions deterred future crimes. His 1975 report was the subject of mainstream news articles and public debate, and was cited in papers before the U.S. Supreme Court arguing for a reversal of the court's 1972 suspension of executions. (The court, in 1976, reinstated the death penalty.)

[…]

Read the entire Associated Press article here: Studies: Death Penalty Discourages Crime

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,280215,00.html
SDOSM 20070612
20070611 Studies Death Penalty Discourages Crime

Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/

Kevin Dayhoff: www.westgov.net Westminster Maryland Online www.westminstermarylandonline.net http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/