City Council members want ethics rules simplified

The retirement of a deputy city commissioner after a settlement on charges of ethics violations has members of Philadelphia City Council cautious about their future campaigns. During confirmation hearings for three members of the ethics board Tuesday, Councilwoman Marian Tasco said she’s worried about the campaign next year.”The whole ethics laws are new to us all,” said Tasco. “Candidates who have run for years have engaged in practices that may not have necessarily been illegal, but it’s like past practice. The new laws interpret them a different way.”Councilman Bill Greene said a new ruling gives the ethics board the ability to reinterpret the charter without relying on the city solicitor’s opinions of the past.”So it’s a bit confused and we have cleanup to do with respect to it,” said Green.Tasco said the rules should be written so a fifth-grader can understand them.I’m Tom MacDonald WHYY News.