Ethics requirements urged for Paris

PARIS — A resident has asked that the town voluntarily adopt the guidelines of the Maine ethics commission to require any political organization to disclose its contributions.

Rick Jackson said the town is not subject to disclosure requirements because it has a population under 15,000.

The Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices defines a political action committee as any separate fund established by an organization for the purpose of influencing the result of an election or referendum question. The requirements also state that a PAC must spend $1,500 toward that effort in the course of a year to meet the definition.

"Adoption of these standards will improve public integrity and provide a road map for a citizen or citizens to file grievances that may arise," Jackson told selectmen Monday. "In other words, if a political action committee or members acting as a political action committee don't disclose things properly, or do disclose things properly and a citizen has a grievance, there's a process in place for that to be resolved."

The group Paris Citizens for Responsible Government met the definition of a PAC, Jackson said. He said he was concerned because the treasurer of the organization, Jack Richardson, chairs the town's Policy and Procedures Committee.

"We have a chairman that I don't know is acting on behalf of the town's best interests as chairman of the Policy and Procedures Committee who suddenly developed this recall ordinance that's very questionable, or is he acting on behalf of the political action committee, or a citizen," Jackson said. "I'm not saying that's wrong, I'm just saying it should be disclosed."

The recall ordinance, which allows residents to petition to hold an election to recall elected officials, will appear on the November ballot.

Paris Citizens for Responsible Government is a loose-knit organization providing an "opportunity for people who want to express a political opinion," Richardson said. He said the group supported Selectmen Raymond Glover and Lloyd "Skip" Herrick in the June 2008 election, and also published an open letter criticizing the termination of Town Manager Sharon Jackson's contract in June.

"There is no formal organization that's called Paris Citizens for Responsible Government," Richardson said. "It's a post office box and a bank account with me as treasurer."

He said the organization's funds go toward advertisements or mailings, efforts which are started by residents.

"As far as PCRG being somehow tied in its efforts or its work to the Policy and Procedures Committee, that's just ridiculous," he said. "There's no connection whatever."

Cindy Sullivan, the PAC, candidate and lobbyist registrar with the Maine ethics commission, said enforcement of the regulations would be handled through the Town Office.

"We only handle the PACs that are on a statewide initiative, not a local initiative," she said.

Jackson said he has worked with political campaigns. In 2008, he was treasurer of Opportunities for Paris, a group that raised funds and held weekly meetings supporting the candidacy of Al Atkinson and Troy Ripley for selectmen.

"This will affect very few candidates," Jackson said. "What it will affect are organized political action committees that are actively raising money."

Herrick said candidates are subject to some state rules regarding campaign signs and other issues.

"I'm not convinced at this point that there's a need to do what you're requesting, because I never ran into any of these so-called ethical issues on financing,"Herrick said.

mlangeveld@sunjournal.com