2008-02-13 Board of Ethics Minutes Regular Session

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CHAIR: - -Ms. Lum, once Mr. Ashida answers my last question- LUM: - -Oh, okay, I'm sorry. He was pausing, I thought he was done. CHAIR: Are we now then entering into new waters? ASHIDA: New waters on what issue? CHAIR: On the issue of having photographs with ads run in newspapers that have meeting announcements. ASHIDA: You're being called upon, or you have initiated on your own, an inquiry to determine whether doing that would violate any provision of the Ethics Code. So yes, with respect to this particular body, you have never previously opined on it, which is the very reason why we had recommended that no investigation per se against any Council member be initiated, because it wasn't fair, as they were never put on notice, because you never acted on it, so the answer to your question is yes. However, the State Legislature, the State Ethics Commission, has already answered that question. So the issue has been discussed, adjudicated, decided elsewhere, yes. By this particular Board of Ethics, no. CHAIR: And are we obliged to follow the 2007 ruling that you cited earlier? ASHIDA: It's state law. 1 would unqualifiedly recommend you comply with all provisions of the state, county, and federal law. CHAIR: Ms. Lum? LUM: 1 just have a question - -maybe because I was late I didn't catch it. But have we determined the additional cost of photographs in these types —can you answer that, Mr. Yagong? CHAIR: - -1 could answer that as well. LUM: I'll ask Mr. —he's got lots of experience. You do too, but I'll YAGONG: When you buy an advertising space, you buy the space. So in other words, you could have five words on there and three pictures on there, it doesn't matter- LUM: - -Okay, so there's no additional cost. YAGONG: No additional cost. LUM: Okay. Thank you. CHAIR: Any further questions for Mr. Ashida? DILL: Oh, I just want to thank you and your staff for all the hard work in putting all this stuff together. U1]