Last Week, Mayor Ivy Taylor was granted a waiver for any ethics complaints, past or future, over a conflict of interest that existed last year. The conflict, Taylor - as Mayor - was a board member of the San Antonio Housing Authority, while her husband collected housing vouchers from SAHA for low-income tenants.
The moneys were transferred to Bexar County's control last November -resolving the issue - and no wrongdoing was found, but the Mayor askedcity council for the special waiver anyway.
The vote was 8-2 for, with Council Members Rey Saldana and Ron Nirenberg voting against it, and subsequently filing a measure to remove the ethics waivers from council control.
Council Member Robert Trevino filed his own measure that would reform other aspects of the ethics review process and add an independent compliance auditor.
Should council be allowed to waive ethics violations, essentially allowing them to police themselves?
Guests:
- Mayor Ivy Taylor
- Ron Nirenberg, council member for district 8
- Rey Saldana, council member for district 4
- Robert Trevino, council member for district 1
