[Mpls] City ethics board: Rybak doesn't have to pay back taxpayers

[Dean Carlson]

o.k., legally the Mayor may not have to pay for the brochure, but ethically
it just smells bad.

The Mayor could have put this to bed in January by admitting (what most
people believe) that the brochure that crossed way into the realm of
campaign literature.  I would still strongly urge the Mayor to reimburse the
City.

Dean E. Carlson
Ward 10, East Harriet


----- Original Message -----
From: "List Manager" <mplslist at tcq.net>
To: <mpls at mnforum.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2005 9:01 PM
Subject: [Mpls] City ethics board: Rybak doesn't have to pay back taxpayers


>From the Strib...

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak doesn't need to reimburse taxpayers any part of
the $42,556 he spent to produce and send an eight-page glossy newsletter to
city residents, according to an opinion from the city's ethical practices
board.

The two-member, volunteer board determined that laws governing publications
are ambiguous.

"It's difficult to interpret for everybody. It doesn't mean we agree with
the nature of the newsletter," said board member Laura Reich, a physician at
the University of Minnesota.

She and board member Thomas Schumacher, director of the office of compliance
at the university, recommended that the city establish clear standards and
encourage all elected officials to have future newsletters reviewed by the
communications department.

http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/5357630.html

David Brauer
List manager

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