​​​​​​​​Ethics

The City Council recently adopt​ed a new City gift policy and extended the Ethics policy, which applies to City Elected Officials, Board and Commission Members and Employees and Volunteers.​

Related

Ethics Commission Home Page

Why Ethics Matter

Public trust in the City is built on the conduct of elected officials, employees, board members, and volunteers. Only when residents have confidence that their City elected officials, employees, board members, and volunteers will act fairly and honestly can democratic government function properly. Therefore, it is imperative that all in public service perform their duties at the highest standards of personal integrity, fairness, and honesty, and never use their City position for improper personal gain.

Sources and Enforcement of City of Phoenix Ethics Policies and Laws

Although City ethics policies and laws stem from several sources and standards, three significant policies and laws establish City ethics standards:

  1. The City of Phoenix Ethics Policy, Phoenix City Code Section 2-52;
  2. The City of Phoenix Gift Policy, also found in Phoenix City Code Section 2-52;
  3. Arizona law for conflicts of interest as adopted by Phoenix City Charter Chapter XI and found in Arizona Revised Statutes Title 38, Chapter 3, Article 8; and
  4. The City of Phoenix Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy, Phoenix City Code Section 2-54.

Violations of these ethics policies and laws by elected officials and board members are enforced through the City of Phoenix Ethics Commission. Violations of these ethics policies and laws by employees and volunteers are enforced through the City Manager. Although each of these policies and laws are generally uniform as applied to all in public service, some differences exist, and therefore, elected officials, employees, board members, and volunteers should look to guidance that applies to their specific public duty and role.

 

Ethics Commission

The Ethics Commission is authorized to receive allegations of ethical violations, investigate, take testimony, and engage in any other action to the extent permitted and established by law to oversee the investigation and enforcement of the gift policy and conflicts of interest pursuant to Phoenix City Charter Chapter XI, Sec. 1 (Title 38, Article 8, Arizona Revised Statutes) related to elected officials and board and commission members.

 

Additional Information

If you or a member of the public need TTY or other assistance in reporting ethics or integrity concerns, please use Relay 7-1-1 or contact the City’s Equal Opportunity Department’s Compliance and Enforcement Division at 602-262-7486 or contact.eod@phoenix.gov.


See also: Online Fraud Reporting Form


Waiver for Special Occasion

If a board member elected official, employee, or volunteer believes the acceptance of a gift in connection with a special occasion, such as a graduation or wedding, may create the appearance of undue influence or a conflict of interest, before the s/he accepts any such gift, s/he may request a special occasion waiver. To obtain this waiver, s/he must submit a special occasion waiver request form to the City Clerk for review and approval by the City of Phoenix Ethics Commission. Waiver for Special Occasion (PDF)
 

Committee member applications are now being accepted. Applications will close on September 7 at 5:00 p.m. Download Ethics Commission Application (PDF)

 

Volunteers

Volunteers

Generally, a gift in any amount received by a volunteer that creates the appearance of undue influence or a conflict of interest is prohibited. Otherwise, a gift to a volunteer that does not create the appearance of undue influence or a conflict of interest is permissible, and the volunteer is not required to file a disclosure form. 

Forms

Production notes (will be hidden)

*change council pic to empty chamber XXX

*Xavier's note: "The unions have until COB on the 5th to provide comment on the Gift AR, so it would be disingenuous to post a final version of that AR before then."

*The order of the items for Employees is listed per Dan Brown.  XXX

*still need for posting
intro text
Gift Disclosure Form (PDF)
Waiver for Special Occasion (PDF)

*Dan's comment: "I checked the City Code today, however, and it did not appear that Code Publishing had updated Section 2-52 and 2-53 (please confirm) even though they stated the code is current through April 17, 2017." Who/how do we check with Code Publishing site, who is the? In the meantime i am linking to the non-accessible version of a PDF that Dan sent. We need an accessible version of this PDF and/or that website to update their code. XXX  Pam said is calling to update this item.

*There is no way to link directly to the subsection on the state's website with the relevant info, so the link goes to the page, users will have to scroll down to get to the 11 relevant subsections XXX

*Tim McBride will contact Mayor's office to change the info on the Ethics Committee Home page. Doug Mings is working on that change request

*on go live: P.gov home page column 2, change link for City Services Card to Ethics, linking to this page

Pam said don't LINK to the AR.

 *the final forms should also be added to inside PHX Forms list, pointing to the forms (which will probably be in City Clerk Documents folder) 

*NO DO NOT ADD THIS add to button to this page on inside PHX sending user to This Ethics page
http://insidephx/depts/clerk/gift-disclosure

*submitted to ITs additional requirements for display list: if date = after 366 days from date of upload delete Gift Disclosure PDF from website (which will remove it from the display list). INFORM ITS about this change this REMVOED XXX