Dallas Council Refines New Ethics Rules

By BJ Austin, KERA News

Dallas, TX –

Dallas City council members are crafting a crack down on lobbying at City Hall. They also want to change the way zoning cases are handled after convictions in the corruption trial of a former Councilman and City Plan Commissioner.

Dallas attorney and lobbyist Kirk Williams told the council the proposals will create unwieldy, meaningless paperwork. Mayor Tom Leppert strongly disagreed.

Williams: I don't think anybody believes that this would have changed any of the corruption issues at City Hall. And it won't change somebody that's willing to do illegal activities in the future.

Leppert: trying to make the lobbying, especially the registration of lobbying, more transparent and more visible. Unfortunately it's not here. It is in other places. And it does require checks and balances that simply aren't in place.

The Council will take a final vote in two weeks.

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