This is from our neighbor Jay Starkman who requested I share it with the neighborhood:

There is only one item on the ballot for DeKalb County on Nov 5: DeKalb Ethics Reform.

You want to vote “NO”!  Davis Fox also says vote “NO”!  It’s a watered down ethics bill.  If we defeat it, the Georgia legislature will pass an improved stricter bill for DeKalb County next session.

The DeKalb Ethics Board was ruled unconstitutional last year because it included four members appointed by the Georgia Bar Association.  Courts overturned it because voters had no say in the appointees.

The new law covers appointments — all political patronage.  It does not require investigation nor does it provide for discipline of wrongdoing.  The new Board is empowered to simply dismiss a complaint. It would not give us the ability to force an investigation into the DeKalb Planning and Sustainability Dept for all the errors they have causes (not just for our neighborhood — it’s everywhere incompetence or worse).

A copy of SB 7 which is what we are voting on is attached.

Please spread the word to vote on Nov 5 and vote NO.  It’s very important that this weak ethics law be defeated so we might get a better law.

Here is information on the law: Georgia SB7 – Board of Ethics of DeKalb County

GA SB7 Board of Ethics of DeKalb County change a definition (pdf)