Don’t change disclosure yet

The Fort Worth City Council is scheduled to consider an ordinance during its 7 p.m. meeting Tuesday that would significantly alter the financial disclosure required of local officials under the city’s Code of Ethics.

The change warrants more opportunity for public comment before a council vote. The agenda item should be delayed.

The issue arises because of different disclosure requirements under the city code and state law. The agenda item would scuttle stringent city requirements in favor of weaker state law.

Financial disclosure gives city residents the opportunity to judge for themselves the danger of an official’s actions being influenced by their financial interests.

Where that danger exists, the official should recuse themselves from the decision-making process. But residents can’t hold them accountable unless those interests are disclosed.

The issue is further complicated because the Code of Ethics allows the mayor, City Council members, the city manager and the city attorney to meet only the state disclosure requirements. That should be reconsidered.

The proposed change would apply the state requirements, instead of the local code, to the city secretary, the chief financial officer, the internal auditor and judges of municipal courts.

Many of the state and city requirements are similar. But there are significant differences with regard to the financial interests of family members, the dominant customers of a business in which the official has an interest and transactions involving holders of city franchises.

This story was originally published August 17, 2015 at 5:11 PM with the headline "Don’t change disclosure yet."