Dual-office ban
considered
Highland Park may
break new ground
By ERICA HARBATKIN,
Home News Tribune Online, October 4, 2006
HIGHLAND PARK, NJ -- The
borough would become the first municipality in the state to ban dual-office
holding if an ordinance introduced last night is passed by the Borough Council.
The ordinance would ban local elected officials from holding another elected
office, whether at the county, state or federal level.
Holding two elected offices at once is illegal in many states because it can
create a conflict of interest between the two places the official represents.
But it has more than just ethical implications, said Debbie Walsh, the
chairwoman of the borough's ethics task force.
"It really limits the opportunities for service in the state," said Walsh, who
noted that women and minorities have a hard time breaking into politics because
white males occupy so many positions. "They're just sort of using up all
the positions."
New Jersey has more state legislators holding two offices than any other state
in the country, according to the Center for Public Integrity. The most
common second office is at the municipal level.
For now, New Jersey is one of 10 states with no dual-office regulations of any
form, although state Republicans last week introduced an ethics package that
includes a similar ban.
Forty states prohibit local officials from holding an elected federal office, 36
prohibit local officials from holding an elected state office and 11 prohibit
multiple elected offices of any kind, which is the type of regulation proposed
yesterday.
The dual-office regulation is part of a package of ethics ordinances introduced
at last night's council meeting. The package also includes a
conflict-of-interest ordinance that would restrict gifts to borough officials, a
contract pay-to-play ordinance and a redevelopment pay-to-play ordinance.
The council will vote on the ordinances at an Oct. 17 meeting.
Erica Harbatkin: (732) 565-7256;
eharbatkin@thnt.com
|
