Transparency, Transhmerancy

Tomorrow City Council is appointing a “City of El Paso Ad Hoc Charter Advisory Committee for the purpose of a City Charter Amendment Special Election to be held in November 2018.”

Apparently, though, it wasn’t easy to get people to serve, because this is part of ordinance they’re considering:

The members of the committee shall not be subject to the financial disclosure requirements of Section 2.92.070 of the city code, but shall otherwise be subject to all other applicable provisions of Chapter 2.92 (Ethics Ordinance).

Financial disclosure is a requirement for service on any other City board. Financial disclosure would be a requirement for this committee, except City Council carved out an exception. I wonder why.

Presumably all the citizens proposed for the committee have recently filed their income taxes, so their finances should be readily available. Tax day is today.

Do you suppose that there are unregistered lobbyists nominated to the committee, and they don’t want us to see who’s paying them?

Let’s take a look at the nominees. From the April 17, 2018, City Council Agenda:

CONSENT AGENDA – BOARD APPOINTMENTS:

8. Goal 6: Set the Standard for Sound Governance and Fiscal Management

8.1. James Montoya to the Ad Hoc Charter Advisory Committee by Representative Claudia Ordaz Perez, District 6.
Representative Claudia Ordaz Perez, (915) 212-0006

8.2. Mark Benitez to the Ad Hoc Charter Advisory Committee by City Representative Cassandra Hernandez Brown, District 3
Representative Cassandra Hernandez-Brown, (915) 212-0003

8.3. Steve Ortega to the Ad Hoc Charter Advisory Committee by City Representative Michiel R Noe, District 5
Representative Michiel Noe, (915) 212-0005

8.4. Richard Teschner, to the Ad Hoc Charter Advisory Committee by City Representative Sam Morgan, District 4
Representative Sam Morgan, (915) 212-0004

8.5. Jim Graham to the Ad Hoc Charter Advisory Committee by Representative Henry Rivera, District 7
Representative Henry Rivera, (915) 212-0007

8.6. Richard Dayoub to the Ad Hoc Charter Advisory Committee by Mayor Dee Margo.
Mayor Dee Margo, (915) 212-0021

8.7. Kevin Quinn to the Ad Hoc Charter Advisory Committee by Representative Cissy Lizarraga, District 8
Representative Cissy Lizarraga, (915) 212-0008

8.8. Tracy J. Yellen to the Ad Hoc Charter Advisory Committee by Representative Alexsandra Annello, District 2.
Representative Alexsandra Annello, (915) 212-0002

8.9. Deborah Hamlyn to the Ad Hoc Charter Advisory Committee by Representative Peter Svarzbein, District 1
Representative Peter Svarzbein, (915) 212-1002

That financial disclosure exception casts a pall on the legitimacy of the City Charter Advisory Board. I wonder what Representative Cassandra Hernandez-Brown was thinking.

One comment

  1. Oh this is going to be a great committee with Steve Ortega on it, that’s for sure. What about the others? Who are they? Ohhhh. Tracy Yellin is President of the Women’s Fund of El Paso and on the staff of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation. James Montoya, Assistant District Attorney; guess you need a lawyer who’s on your side. Mark Benitez, EPISD. Richard Teschner is professor emeritus of Linguistics at UTEP. Kevin Quinn, possibly a commissioner on the Housing Authority. Deborah Hamlyn, Deputy City Manager.

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