Being a servant of the people is indeed a great honor and privilege. The “folks” place their confidence and trust in those elected officials to look out for their collective best interests. That includes spending their hard earned tax dollars wisely as well as consistently maintaining the highest degree of ethical standards and behavior. Serving the people is a tremendous responsibility no elected or appointed official should take lightly.

There is a saying that goes something like this: “I’ve never seen a poor politician. Have you?” Actually I’ve known a few poor politicians in my time, but not many and seldom anyone with several terms of service under their belt.

Most legislative salaries are nothing to write home about. Compared to the majority of corporate salaries they are modest.

On the state and local levels of government, these elected positions often serve part-time. Their often unpretentious supplementary salaries and stipends are reflective of that.

While not always earning significant incomes for performing their legislative duties, there is a bigger prize to be had; power and influence. How one chooses to use these “perks” will ultimately determine whose interest is being represented-that of the elected or that of the electorate.

Corruption and misdeeds come in all shapes and sizes and in as many flavors as Baskin-Robbins ice-cream. Some seem more spectacular and receive more notoriety than others. Just ask former New York governor Elliott Spitzer in the aftermath of his alleged involvement with a prostitute.

In local government the signs of corruption are seldom as obvious as bribery, extortion or embezzlement, but no less serious. While county and local legislators may not be caught with their hand directly in the cookie jar, there are other opportunities for corruption. Among those are nepotism and patronage.

Nepotism is the practice of favoring a group or person who is a relative when giving promotions, jobs, raises, benefits etc. This is often used based on the assumption that the family person appointed will respect and represent their family and their family’s friends pertaining to business decisions and political votes. The appointments often have little to do with experience and/or qualifications for the position in question.
The patronage system consists of the granting of favors, contracts or appointments in exchange for political support.

It is, as a result, not coincidental that contracts are often awarded to the same individuals and companies year after year. And political appointments go to cronies who are frequently less than qualified.

Some public officials always seem to have the inside track on opportunities like property development. In addition they are also “connected” to those who know their way around the public grant system which helps underwrite the cost of their purchase and/or future development.

While laws may not be actually broken, they can be bent to benefit the few and the privileged. This is not the way open, honest and transparent government is supposed to work. Whoever said “to the victor go the spoils” certainly never intended that to include certain elected and/or appointed officials lining their own pockets.

Not all incumbent politicians bend the rules or are corrupt. Many serve ethically over long periods of time with a record of distinction and honor.

To keep every politician honest requires the participation of all of us. Being involved means more than simply casting your vote on Election Day.  It also means monitoring how those who represent you cast their votes on all issues in front of them. Doing so will go a long way in keeping politicians and government from taking what it can while only giving what it must.