Mayor Marty "it's all perfectly legal" Chavez contributes to the perception of a culture of corruption.

Many believe that there is a culture of corruption that pollutes
local politics and public service.

The belief is not based on public corruption convictions, there
aren't many, because all of this crap is "perfectly legal".

The Journal reports this morning, link, that

The city awarded about $49,000 in contracts last year
to the mayor's former campaign spokeswoman
without bidding or a request for proposals.

While it's all "perfectly legal", any more (>$50K) would have
been illegal, the perception is created and reinforced that there
is "pay to play" afoot. Or cronyism. Or any one of many
"perfectly legal" strategies that allow these folks to scratch each
others' backs, at taxpayer expense.

The report continues;

City Council President Isaac Benton summed up the
contract awards this way:
"The perception, of course, is often as important as reality.

News flash, perception is reality in the eyes of the perceiver.

The perception/reality that good ol' boys will take care of each
other before they take care of taxpayers, causes damage,
even if it is all "perfectly legal". There are people who, having
heard this story, who will have less faith in the Office of the Mayor,
as a result. Damage is done by the perception of impropriety.
Damage is done by the perception of a conflict of interest.

"Legal" is not a high enough standard of conduct for public
servants. It is important that citizens have faith in politicians,
public servants, and in the process.

For as long as public servants and politicians continue to do
anything "the law" allows, they will be doing things that
undermine the confidence of the people, in their government.

Much of the success of government rests on the willing sacrifices
that people make, to make the whole thing work.
The willing sacrifices end, when the perception is that the
benefits of the sacrifice will not be shared by the people,
but shared instead among corrupt politicians and public servants.

Marty Chavez is aware of higher standards of conduct than
the law. He once expressed his support of those higher
standards of conduct. And he has done nothing in a decade and
a half, to advance those higher standards, except to paint them
on the sides of city vehicles.

United States Senator Pete Domenici, from the
Congressional Record, Thursday, July 14, 1994, link

"In the city of Albuquerque, my hometown, I was joined
by the mayor of our city, Mayor Martin Chavez, and a
large, diverse task force from our city, in declaring that
the city will be known as "Albuquerque:
A Character Counts Community.''
As part of that, the entire community will begin to
incorporate in its daily lives these six principles of character."

Mayor Marty Chavez is a
Founding Father of
Character Counts!

But you wouldn't know it
from watching him,
listening to him, or from
looking at his record.




photo Mark Bralley