Ordinance 2010-349 - Laserfiche WebLink

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.. III. CONCLUSION Achieving higher ethical benchmarks through legislation reinforces a government's commitment to the seminal values of public service - integrity, openness, transparency and accountability. It also offers reassurances that public servants will carry out their obligations to promote the health, safety and health of the community above self-interest. The Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust was created in the mid- 1990s in response to a series of scandals that caused many to question the integrity of both the local governmental decision-making process and the electoral process. Having the Ethics Commission on the scene for the past decade has given life to the previously- dormant county ethics code and has proven that enforcing local ethical standards make a difference. The purpose behind the creation of the Task Force was to secure the input of local experts to evaluate both the structure and functions of the Miami-Dade Ethics Commission and the laws the Ethics Commission is mandated to interpret and enforce. After careful reflection, the Task Force determined that some of the existing policies and practices do not appear to be in the public interest and must be revised. Further, the Task Force found the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics must be provided with all the necessary means to effectively enforce the laws on the books in order to fulfill its mission as guardians of the public trust. Finally, the Task Force concluded that campaign finance reforms should be adopted to curb the impact that special interests have on the local political process to eliminate the perception that campaign contributors transacting business with Miami-Dade County have decided advantages over those who refuse to "pay to play." 20