Dear Rocky River Resident,
STOP GRAVY TRAIN IN ROCKY RIVER! Elected Rocky River
officials running for re-election in 2005 spent
approximately $19,080 of Rocky River taxpayers’ money.
On a quarterly newsletter they appeared in – and mailed
citywide – on the taxpayers’ dime!
I’ll bring a ‘charter addition’ to the Rocky River
ballot. Once passed will bring “Campaign and Ethics
Reform” to Rocky River.
Respectfully, Fred I. Sokol, Resident – Rocky River,
Ohio
ROCKY RIVER CHARTER
ARTICLE 10 – GENERAL
SECTION 7. CAMPAIGN
AND ETHICS RESTRICTIONS
(A)
This
section shall direct the actions of all elected Rocky
River officials and candidates for Rocky River public
office.
(B)
For residents to have confidence in their elected Rocky
River officials and candidates for public office - the
following shall be followed:
-
TAXPAYER MONEY SHALL NOT PAY FOR PRINTING AND
MAILING
of city government and city public school
newsletters, brochures, magazines, flyers, letters
etc.
-
that show elected Rocky River officials and
candidate's pictures or articles by or about them -
during their election year.
-
FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL CONTRACTORS AND THEIR
FAMILIES SHALL NOT DONATE
to elected Rocky River officials and candidates
election campaigns.
-
FAMILY MEMBERS OF ELECTED ROCKY RIVER OFFICIALS
SHALL NOT WORK
in Rocky River city government, Rocky River Waste
Water Treatment Plant, Rocky River Municipal Court
and Rocky River Public Schools.
-
ELECTRONIC FILING SHALL BE REQUIRED of elected Rocky River official’s campaign
finance reports – and their reports shall be placed
onto The City of Rocky River’s Web Site.
-
(A.)
EMPLOYEES SHALL NOT CONTRIBUTE WHO WORK FOR
Rocky River city government, Rocky River
Waste Water Treatment Plant, Rocky River Municipal
Court and Rocky River Public Schools
to elected Rocky River officials and candidates
election campaigns. (B.)
SAID EMPLOYEE’S FAMILIES SHALL NOT CONTRIBUTE
to said, Rocky River Government bodies as well.
-
LOBBYISTS AND THEIR PACs SHALL NOT CONTRIBUTE
to elected Rocky River officials and
candidates election campaigns.
-
GIFTS SHALL NOT BE
GIVEN
to elected Rocky River officials and candidates.
-
COUNCIL SHALL ADOPT AND CODIFY ‘CAMPAIGN DONATION
LAW’. (A.) That lowers and limits current ‘Hard Money
Donations’ amounts that are presently allowed by
law.
(B.)
That bans ‘Soft Money Donations’.
(C.)
Any increases to said donations – shall be approved
by the voters.
-
COUNCIL SHALL ADOPT
AND CODIFY ‘ETHICS LAWS’
that control actions of elected Rocky River
officials and candidates.
-
COUNCIL SHALL ADOPT
AND CODIFY ‘ETHICS LAWS’
that dictate what happens to elected Rocky River
officials and candidates when they break those laws.
(C)
All ordinances, resolutions, proclamations, motions and
Charter provisions inconsistent with this section are
hereby repealed and declared null and void.
(D)
This subpart shall be severable and if any part, word or
application thereof is held invalid for any reason, such
holding shall not invalidate or affect the force and
effect of any other part, word or application therof.
(E)
As used in this section:
"elected
Rocky River official" means all elected officials
who are chosen to work for The Rocky River City
Government and The Rocky River Public Schools by the
electors of Rocky River.
"candidates"
means all qualified candidates who seek to be chosen to
work for The Rocky River City Government and for The
Rocky River Public Schools by the electors of Rocky
River.
“lobbyists” means
somebody who is paid to lobby/influence elected Rocky
River officials on an issue.
“gifts” means
something given of worth both monetary, non monetary and
a service - that is given to
Rocky River candidates or elected Rocky River officials.
“hard money donations” means
donations made directly to Rocky River candidates or
elected Rocky River officials. These donations are
declared with the name of the donor, which then becomes
public knowledge.
“soft money donations” means
money that is not sent directly to Rocky River
candidates or elected Rocky River official’s campaign,
but is spent on an activity, especially advertisements,
publications, newsletters etc. which promotes a Rocky
River candidate or elected Rocky River official’s
positions or may be a thinly veiled attack on the
opponent's positions, that obviously benefit the other
Rocky River candidate or elected Rocky River official.
Soft Money Donations are insidious because the person
donating is not totally willing to speak in public.
They would rather speak behind a closed door. Soft
Money Donations will also be prohibited.
