BALTIMORE (AP) - Baltimore’s mayor wants to be exempted from city ethics rules that require officials to obtain approvals before soliciting private funds for community programs and events.
The Baltimore Sun reports City Solicitor Andre Davis has asked the Board of Ethics to grant Catherine Pugh the exemption so she doesn’t have to make requests to the ethics and spending board each time she wants to raise private funds for the Baltimore City Foundation. The rules are meant to avoid conflicts of interest.
Calling Baltimore “a poor city,” Davis questioned the constraints on the mayor’s ability to solicit monetary assistance. He says the five-member board has yet to make a decision.
Ethics board member Stephan Fogleman says he has questions about the request. Referencing former Mayor Sheila Dixon’s theft conviction, he stressed the need for “transparency” in city affairs.
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Information from: The Baltimore Sun, http://www.baltimoresun.com
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