Ethics Amendments - Koop & Margolin

Memorandum

CITY OF DALLAS DATE

October 23, 2009

TO

Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council Proposed Amendments to Ethics Ordinance Attached please find several proposed amendments to the Ethics Ordinance.

nn Margôlin Councilmember District 13

C:

Linda Koop Councilmember District 11

Mary K. Suhm, C’ty Manager Ryan Evans, First Assistant City Manager Jill A. Jordan, P. E. Assistant City Manager Forest Turner, Assistant City Manager A. C. Gonzalez, Assistant City Manager Tom Perkins, City Attorney Dave Cook, Chief Financial Officer Deborah A. Watkins, City Secretary Craig Kinton, City Auditor C. Victor Lander, Administrative Judge Helena Stevens-Thompson, Assistant to the City Manager

“Dallas, The City That Works: Diverse, Vibrant and Progressive.”

Proposed Amendments to the Ethics Proposal Submitted by Linda Koop and Ann Margolin

Lobbyist Registration/Restrictions Proposed Amendment:

This would be added to 12A-15.3: Individuals (paid or unpaid) must register as lobbyists if they pian to have or have contact with a Council member or city official with the intent of influencing matters related to significant pending zoning applications, tax credits, historic credits, tax abatements or TIF funds. Neighborhood associations, crime watch groups and homeowners associations are exempted. (The listed exceptions in the proposed ordinance would remain) Proposed Amendment:

No one who is in the process of actively bidding on a contract or responding to a request for bid may lobby a member of the Council from the time of the advertisement for public notification or a request for bid until after the award of contract. An exception is made for appearing at a council meeting.

Campaign Contributions Proposed Amendment:

From the time a zoning case is filed or a public hearing is called by the Plan Commission or the Council until 60 days after the resolution of the zoning case, no campaign contributions may be made by the applicant or a lobbyist for the applicant to a member of the Council or a candidate in a Council race. Proposed Amendment:

No one who is in the process of responding to a request for bid or RFP may make a campaign contribution to a member of the Council or a candidate in a Council race until 60 days after that contract has been awarded. Proposed Amendment:

No one who is in the process of seeking or negotiating tax credits, historic credits, tax abatements or TIF funds may make a campaign contribution to a member of the Council or a candidate in a Council race until 60 days after the Council has voted on the matter.

Three Seconds on Zoning Cases

Amend Section 1.7.13(b) to read (a) A main motion to approve or deny a significant zoning case must be seconded two times, with each second made by a different city council member. By seconding the motion, the city council member represents that he or she has reviewed the facts of the zoning case and has developed an opinion on the appropriateness of the zoning. (b) For purposes of this subsection,” significant zoning case” TO BE DEFINED. Examples: Areas around DART Stations, Trinity River Corridor, Central Business District. Ethic Commission

The Ethics Commission bi-annually shall review and recommend changes to their rules. These shall be made in writing to the City Council which must vote to accept or deny the recommendations.