Stop "pay to play" contracting

By Rita R. Boggs

There is currently no limit on campaign donations taken by the Mayor or City Council Members. Limits need to be initiated.

This is to say a Mayor or Council Member can take a campaign donation from anyone, including those who have issues before the Council requiring a vote of the Council. This certainly suggests a "pay to play" mentality.

If we are able to create a Charter, we can include rules within that Charter forbidding donations for certain periods before and after votes.

I am known for reading all the paperwork. More than once within the last few years, after reading paperwork regarding one or another contracts, I discovered that the recommendation by the staff committee evaluating bids received for a particular contract was totally ignored even when it was very clear that that recommendation was correct. I would fight to publicly push to see that this process was being carried out honestly.