Every two months, the Institute analyzes an issue or issues that local agency officials commonly face under California's ethics laws and general public service ethical principles.
This section of the website archives past columns, organized by topic area. For a list of all columns, simply search on the term "Everyday Ethics" in the search box in the upper right of the site.
To suggest a topic, post a comment on the discussion group at right.
The article Another Tool in the Ethics Toolbox: The Agency Auditing Function examines the role audits play in preventing misuse of public resources.Read more »
This article explains the impact of a California Supreme Court decision (Vargas v. City of Salinas) on the use of public resources for campaign purposes in ballot measure campaigns.Read more »
This article analyzes the parallels between public service ethics laws and fiduciary responsibilities. It also notes specific areas of the law (investing money and overseeing public pension plans), where fiduciary obligations are more express.
(Four-page tipsheet): Provides a handy reference on the kinds of issues that ought to trigger a conversation with agency counsel or the Fair Political Practices Commission.
This fictional account illustrates how local officials can inadvertently be lured into problematic situations and offers ideas on how to respond. Download video »
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