Keep shady lobbyists out of mayoral polls

Whenever civic leaders are about to elect a mayor, taxpayers are treated to brazen displays of vote buying that raise questions about the integrity of such officials.

Groups of councillors are sequestered in beach hotels, houses of ill-repute and other secret locations for weeks on end by the lobbyists backing particular candidates for the mayoral seat. The retreats are claimed to be strategy sessions or, bizarrely, ‘protective custody’ from rivals who may attempt to bribe councillors.

In truth, they are incubation sessions for corruption cabals.

Outside interests

We deplore these excursions as they expose councils to the insidious cancer of influence peddling. Where the mayor may have been inclined to socially-oriented policies, he must pay back his benefactors — the politicians or businessmen that fund pre-election junkets — with politically oriented ones. At worst, these are naked schemes to rob taxpayers.

At best, the moves can divert scarce funds away from their ideal uses, slowing development.

Either way, immense pressure is brought to bear on appointed officials like Town Clerks to play along.

Where the mayor has had to rely too heavily on benefactors, this can be disastrous if the clerk plays along and disruptive if he refuses to be corrupted.

If local authorities are to move beyond the grip of graft cartels, it is not enough to ensure the chief executives are persons of integrity. We must also ensure that the political counterparts they deal with are not beholden to outside interests and, thus, a danger.