City Council ethics still a hot topic

Open government in Tracy has been a cause of Celeste Garamendi stretching back at least to the last mayoral campaign cycle.

In April 2007, amid a public records scandal and court battle that the city eventually won on a technicality, Garamendi was one of the main proponents that the city adopt an ethics code for elected officials. The effort died for lack of City Council support, even though Councilwoman Irene Sundberg backed the idea.

I wrote a column about the need for such a code in January, and the point stands. There's no reason an ethics code should not be in place.

Garamendi is still pushing for the reforms, and is unveiling her plan as part of a made-for-media event at 11:30 a.m. Friday in front of Tracy City Hall. She says it's part of her effort to shake city government from its past practices.

"I absolutely believe (the lack of open government) is one of the ways in which the status quo is maintained," she told me today. "I think the light of day would help."

If only we would let it shine.