County ethics law revisions air tonight

CANTON — St. Lawrence County legislators will offer a glimpse tonight into how far they are from overhauling their ethics law.

The legislative committee that has spent a year updating the county policy will present its latest draft to lawmakers at today's Operations Committee meeting. It's the first airing since a more than three-hour session Aug. 13 in which opponents picked apart the proposal nearly line by line.

The Government Review Committee is waiting until the meeting to distribute the updated draft because write-throughs and highlighted portions need to be explained, said Legislator Tedra L. Cobb, committee chairwoman.

"I think the committee has done as much as it can to present this in good conscience," said Ms. Cobb, D-Canton.

Despite the promise of changes, a majority of lawmakers is skeptical and believes disclosure requirements are too invasive and the Board of Ethics would wield too much power.

"You're asking for info you don't need," said Legislator Alex A. MacKinnon, R-Fowler. "They're asking a lot of questions that are generic in nature. You're collecting huge amounts of data about people that maybe someday will be needed."

Many of the county's advisory boards, which are composed of volunteers, have opposed the overhaul. It requires elected and appointed officials, department heads and their deputies and members of policy-making advisory boards to disclose employers, most investments, real estate holdings, gifts, political contributions, volunteer affiliations and debt.

Nine volunteers quit in 1991, the last time the ethics law was upgraded.

"I think the application we have now is light, but what they've got is too much," said Legislator Donald A. Peck, R-Gouverneur.

A public hearing must occur before lawmakers can approve the overhaul. The measure has been tabled, so legislators will first have to approve getting it back onto the legislative floor before it can go to a hearing.