To the Editor:
RE: Mayor Silberberg’s Ethical Guidance Improvement Proposal
Mayor Silberberg’s proposal to improve the way Alexandria addresses city government ethics has merit. It deserves support from Council to match the importance voters attached to it in the recent mayoral campaign. Some tried to write it off as a way to gain political advantage in a tough campaign. The fact remains Mayor Silberberg was only showing strong leadership, as she recognized a deep concern of the voters.
Her belief is primarily that public decisions must be made as much as possible in the light of day, so the people local government serves have full confidence the decisions are made with no unseen — or unaccountable — influence on them. As
the reformer Louis D. Brandeis wrote in the Dec. 20, 1913 Harper’s Weekly:
“Publicity is justly commended as a remedy for social and industrial diseases.
Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants..."
Our new mayor’s interest in transparency puts her in a long line of reform advocates. Her concern is not that local processes are terrible and should be revamped. Rather, governmental openness should always be encouraged and — whenever possible — strengthened. The mayor’s proposal to study and recommend improvements can accomplish that. She continued the sunlight metaphor herself in remarks at the council installation.
We may look forward to earnest, practical results from this study.
Michael Campilongo
Alexandria