It is important for San José residents to have confidence in their government. The special interest groups, the lobbyists, the influence peddlers, and the fixers will not run City Hall.
Biennial Ethics Review
Every two years, the City Charter requires the Mayor to review the city’s Code of Ethics as well as any related policies and ordinances. This Biennial Ethics Review offers the city a process for addressing new and evolving ethical questions and ensures that our local government continues to operate in a fair, open and honest manner.
During past Biennial Ethics Reviews, Mayor Reed has proposed and implemented a number of new ethics rules, including those that have:
Eliminated Councilmembers’ officeholder accounts (which used political donations to pay for items related to city business), thereby removing potential conflicts of interest and separating fundraising from official duties of offices.
Allow Councilmembers to voluntarily abstain from votes when there is an appearance of a conflict of interest (previous law required Councilmembers to vote unless they were “disqualified by law from doing so”).
Limited anonymous complaints to the Elections Commission to ensure that the process is not abused for political purposes..
A number of the Mayor’s 2009 recommendations are also currently being considered by the city’s Elections Commission, including proposals that seek to further curb conflicts of interest, close lobbyist loopholes and open up arbitration hearings to the public.
Together, these efforts have built on the initial success of the Reed Reforms and helped the Mayor continue his drive to restore ethics and integrity throughout City Hall
Office of Mayor Chuck Reed
200 East Santa Clara Street San José, CA 95113
tel. (408) 535-4800 fax (408) 292-6422 mayoremail@sanjoseca.gov
The City of San Jose is committed to open and honest government and strives to consistently meet the community’s expectations by providing excellent service, in a positive and timely manner, and in the full view of the public.
