Public confidence in government has eroded at every level. Public cynicism undermines the effectiveness of democratic institutions. The solution to this problem should not be left solely to the partisan political machinery of government, nor to the reactive and punitive machinery of the criminal justice system. We must promote the reality and the appearance of integrity in government through ethics training.

A legislative proposal developed by the Local and State Government Law Section and adopted as the policy of the New York State Bar Association, would and help municipal officers and employees to understand their ethical obligations and avoid unintended ethics violations before they occur. The proposed bill would amend New York General Municipal Section 808 to provide for the same training requirement for members of local boards of ethics that currently exists for members of land use boards.