The Albuquerque city council this week considered a proposal from City Councilor Brad Winter to reform ethics rules for the city's elected officials. The bill failed by one vote, and Winter was understandably angry:
The bill, he says, would have brought transparency to how elected officials run the city.
Clearly angry, Winter immediately chose a new path to ethics reform: He wants the voters to decide.
"I'm going to bring it back up so we can send it up for a public referendum," said Winter, who left shortly after the vote, saying he didn't feel well.
"We need ethics reform in this state. The city of Albuquerque could have been a leader. The people of Albuquerque should be disappointed."
Find out more about what the bill would have accomplished, and hear the excuses from those who voted against it after the jump.
According to the Albuquerque Tribune, the bill would have:
Clarify the power of the city's ethics board.
Set guidelines for reporting campaign contributions.
Protected city workers from being forced into campaign work.
Set rules aimed at preventing contractors from influencing politicians through campaign contributions.
And what do those who shot down Winter's bill have to say for themselves?
Sanchez said while "there is definitely a need for ethics reform at the state level," it isn't as necessary for Albuquerque.
"I feel we've done a great job," Sanchez said. "We live up to the highest standards of ethics."
Loy said "everybody supports ethics" and that he expects an amended version of the bill to make it back to the council shortly.
Sure, because politicians everywhere have proven themselves so wonderfully adept at policing themselves.
"You really have to ask yourself, where is the sincerity in ethics reform?" said Matt Brix, executive director of Common Cause New Mexico, which worked with Winter on the bill. "The public needs to question why there was not a unanimous decision in favor of amending the charter."
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