Ethics Hearing Board-plank-PghGOP

==Background==
The City's GOP Committee has been pushing for the renewal of the Ethics Hearing Board.
==Insights==
===FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:===
 
CONTACT: Bob Hillen, Chairman-Republican Committee of Pittsburgh 412-571-1126
 
SUBJECT: Ethics Hearing Board, City of Pittsburgh
 
On January 16, 2006, The Republican Committee of Pittsburgh, requested Mayor Bob O'Connor, to reinstate the Ethics Hearing Board.
 
Our Committee sent the Mayor a letter stating our request, and to date we have never received a response either way.
 
Over the past two years there have been two notable instances of wrong doing from two different members of Pittsburgh City Council. One was Councilman Jim Motznik's "oversight" of his fuel and City Motor pool Car. The last we hear from that was the Councilman still owes the City $450.00 reimbursement. The second and most recent are the two questionable expenditures from Councilwoman Tawanda Carlisle.
 
It is very apparent that City Government can not police itself. Recently Mayor O'Connor has been quoted as saying on a TV interview, "We want to double check how we're spending the public's money." Well Mr. Mayor, this could be your solution!
 
The City Code Article XI Section 197 requires that the Mayor and City Council appoint members the Ethics Hearing Board. During Mayor Tom Murphy's administration, vacancies on the Hearing Board were left unfilled. We can only speculate as to why. It's long past time for these positions to be filled! The Mayor constantly says that "...it's time to put the City back on the right track." Once again, Mr. Mayor, this could be your solution!
 
Council President Luke Ravenstahl has stated that if Councilwoman Carlisle has committed an Ethical violation, that it will be handled internally. Our question to that is, HOW, without the Ethics Hearing Board in place?
 
The Republican Committee of Pittsburgh wants the City's Ethics Hearing Board in operation, with all five members working in a public, and nonpolitical approach, to police City Government.
 
Below you will find a copy of the letter that our Committee sent to Mayor O'Connor, back in January of this year
 
===Letter from January 16, 2006===
Mayor Bob O'Connor
Room 512, City-County Building, 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Dear Mayor O'Connor,
First let me say congratulations on your inauguration as our city's 58th Mayor.
I am writing to you today on behalf of our committee. We would like to make a request of you, and your new administration. For many years now the city's Ethics Hearing Board has been defunct. Under the previous mayor, vacancies occurred, and were never filled. City Council also did not express much interest in this board, and the necessity of its existence. As a result we had problems take place within City Government such as which the previous mayor is under investigation at this time. Also problems with fuel expenses within Council. Both of which we think may have been avoided if the Ethics Hearing Board was in operation.
We are requesting you to reinstate the Ethics Hearing Board as soon as possible. We hope that the five members that you would appoint to this board would be from several different backgrounds throughout the City. For example; Members representing different races of people, different political parties, different economic backgrounds, different sexes, and so on. We feel this would be the only way that the board would be an unbiased, and truly fair board. We are not interested in a board that would be wasting city resources with frivolous investigations guided by personal agendas.
Our Committee would be happy to supply you with some names of qualified individuals to fill these five unpaid positions, if you like. We know that you have many important things on your plate right now, but we feel this is of great importance also. Pittsburgh residents need to feel that they can trust their elected officials again. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us anytime. We are here to work with you to help make our city great again. Thank you for your time with this matter.
Sincerely,
Bob Hillen, Chairman
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