Seeking to promote fairness and transparency in the County appointment process, Senator Pat Stefano (R-32) has introduced legislation to prevent the possibility of nepotism in county government.
Senate Bill 1042 would prohibit a county commissioner from voting on the appointment of a member of an economic development board, authority or similar body if that commissioner has a family member that is employed at an executive level by that authority.
“Members of economic development authorities oversee the awarding of county contracts, grants and loans that can include significant revenue, and therefore should operate in the best interests of the communities they serve,” Stefano said. “Particularly in times of limited funding resources at all levels of government, we need to ensure that folks making these decisions are doing so impartially and fairly.”
Stefano noted that under Senate rules, Senators are required to seek a ruling in cases where there is a question if they have a direct, personal, private or pecuniary interest in any question or bill.
“My bill would extend that concept to county government, to ensure that funding decisions are made fairly at the county level and checks and balances are in place to prevent abuse.”
CONTACT: Ben Wren (717) 787-7175