Des Plaines to further tighten ethics rules
Des Plaines aldermen are poised to further strengthen city ethics rules that would ban most political contributions from city contractors, subcontractors, and those seeking to do business with the city.
The gift ban limits would also apply for the first time to those seeking a city elected post, not just incumbents. Appointees to city panels, too, would be barred from making contributions.
City attorneys, with the advice of aldermen, have been crafting updates to the city ethics code since September. Aldermen previously agreed to prohibit elected officials from accepting donations from anyone who has a contract with the city worth more than $1,000, a lowering of the threshold from $10,000.
The latest proposed additions to the ethics code are set for approval Nov. 21.
It comes as municipal election season is just beginning, with candidates for Des Plaines mayor, city clerk, and aldermen in the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th wards expected to begin filing petitions Dec. 12.
"Contributions - and not necessarily to aldermen, but mayors - continue to increase, and it's nice to have some type of guideline," said Alderman Patti Haugeberg, who chairs the city council's legal and licensing committee. "We're fine-tuning this ordinance."
The contribution ban would apply to city contractors and their subcontractors who perform more than 50 percent of work on a job. The ban on donations would be in effect over a five-year period, an increase from the existing 12-month period.
Contributions would also be banned from anyone seeking a city contract, grant funds or zoning relief within a six-month period.
Anyone who makes or receives money would be subject to a fine worth at least $1,000, and as much as $5,000 or three times the amount of the gift, whichever is higher. The money would have to be returned, and the contractor would be barred from doing business with the city for a year.
However, the proposed rules allow a 10-day grace period to return donations with no penalties.