EDITORIAL
Harris mass mailer still leaves questions

The city Ethics Commission has concluded that Mayor Jeremy Harris' administration didn't break a municipal code of ethics when it sent out some 10,000 letters informing community interest groups and various "enthusiasts" about how proposed budget cuts could do harm.

In a nutshell, the commission concluded that there's no law stopping the administration from communicating its view of any bill to the public.

That should go without saying. But as with all things, one has to look at specifics. In this case, the letter campaign goading the public to lobby against proposed cuts was executed by city employees on city time. The postage alone cost $3,400.

And consider the context. At the time, Harris and his Cabinet members were locked in a political battle with the City Council over what to place on the chopping block.

Instead of negotiating directly with council members, executive branch top dogs circumvented the legislative branch and appealed directly to the people. The letters were signed by such top-ranking officials as emergency services director Salvatore Lanzilotti, economic development director Manuel Menendez and planning and permitting director Randall Fujiki.

Some council members complained that the letters exaggerated the risks of the proposed cuts.

But according to the city's managing director, Ben Lee, the administration was doing the public a favor by letting them know the risks: "We're not going to allow either the City Council or the media to stop us from keeping the public informed on city issues. Good government comes when the public is informed and empowered," Lee said in response to the commission's finding.

We welcome the city administration pointing out the pitfalls of budget cuts, but city officials shouldn't be manipulating the public to lobby in favor of their budget via a costly letter campaign.