Ethics in the Treasury A Three-Part (Mutually Reinforcing) Strategy

ILG Mission: Promote good government CMTA Code #2

Session Objectives 1.Provide tools for analyzing ethical dilemmas 2.Identify steps to take to promote good government in your office and beyond 3.Share resources (and get your input)

Ultimate Objective Your success & happiness as a public servant Prevent missteps

What Would You Do? Vacation accounting irregularities Agency credit card misuse Agency supplies & equipment Double-dipping on expenses Extravagant expenses

What to Do? Sources of guidance –CMTA Code –Law Other examples Long-term versus short-term thinking

What Happened? Stay Tuned...

A Framework: Ethics Versus Ethics Laws

Ethics Versus Ethics Laws Ethics = what we ought to do Laws = what we must do –Penalties—Sometimes severe –Minimum standards –Legal ≠ ethical

Resources on Ethics Laws No personal financial gain No perks Transparency Fair process Rest of Story: AB 1234

What We Ought to Do = Values Trustworthiness Responsibility Public’s interest Perceptions matter Fairness

Ethics in the Treasury: Hard Choices Right versus right Personal cost –Loss of job –Long-term thinking

Promoting Public Service Ethics The Three Strategies

The Three Strategies 1.Good Practices 2.Your Education 3.Educate Others

Good Practices Checks and balances: Minimize likelihood wrongdoing goes undetected –Internal controls –Audits –Transparency –Hiring for ethics CMTA Code #4: Observe profession’s technical (and legal) standards

Educate Yourself CMTA Code #4: Continuous improvement CMTA Code #2: Promote good government –AB 1234: Take the training –Understand and promote ethics

Educate Others Decision-makers –Tool: Financial Management for Elected Officials –Oversight is a form of check and balance The Public –Website/transparency –What does the public need to know to Participate in democratic processes? Prevent corruption? (Most important political office...) Know that there’s “Ethics in the Treasury”

Once Again... Legal ≠ ethical Ethics = hard choices Three strategies 1.Good Practices 2.Your Education 3.Educate Others

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