[RP TownTalk] What's up with abstaining?

[Rob Oppenheim]

On Mon, 11 Dec 2006 00:03:15 EST, johnferg27 at aol.com wrote:
>At no time has it [ abstaining ] ever been described as unethical.
 
I did not mean to imply that anyone's actions here were unethical. If I did, I was wrong to do so.
 
Yet, in general, it is possible for abstaining to be unethical. The publication: "Everyday Ethics for Local Officials: Finding Your Way" has an in depth discussion of ethics and abstaining. It points out that abstaining (while typically ethical) can be unethical in some situations...
 
Quotes
 
[ Ducking the issue ]
 
It is manifestly unfair - and unethical - to abstain or otherwise put your colleagues in the position of taking the heat for a necessary but unpopular decision.
 
...
 
The Duty To Decide, Not Duck
 
.. in an ideal world, all members of a governing body would be able to participate in any given decision. This underscores how important it is for all members of a governing body to attend every meeting, so decisions can reflect the views of every voting elected official who can participate in the decision.
 
Responsibility is a key component of ethical behavior. Attending and being prepared for meetings is a major element of an elected official's responsibilities and, hence, ethical behavior. So is voting in general. It may be tempting to abstain because of concerns about making an unpopular decision or simply not knowing which decision is best. As hard as some decisions are, making decisions is what you were elected to do.
 
.. [ Abstaining Properly  ]
 
A consensus exists that, when you disqualify yourself or abstain, you should not participate in any aspect of the decision-making process. The basis for this rationale is as follows: If it's inappropriate for you to vote on a matter, it's also inappropriate for you to participate in the discussion or in any other activity that could influence a colleague's vote. This includes being present for the discussion.
 
Those with a disqualifying financial interest in a decision must take the following series of actions: 
• Publicly identify the financial interest or potential conflict of interest in sufficient detail to be understood by the public;
• Recuse themselves from discussing or voting on the matter; and 
• Leave the room until after the discussion, vote and any other disposition of the matter, unless the matter is on the consent calendar.
 
End Quotes
 
The above quotes are from page 27, of the "Everyday Ethics for Local Officials: Finding Your Way" available online here:
http://www.cacities.org/resource_files/23257.everydayethicsbook.pdf
 
Or follow the link to it from Santa Clara University's  "Guide to Ethics Resources for Government" site at
http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/government_ethics/on-line-resources.html
 
-Rob
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://riverdale-park.org/pipermail/towntalk/attachments/20061211/e75376b2/attachment-0003.html>