City Councilman Frank Rizzo's ethics package introduced last year won't be seeing daylight any time soon. In the fall Rizzo proposed a series of four reforms, recommended by the Committee of Seventy, that wasn't exactly met with open arms by Council. The bills addressed nepotism, lobbyist disclosure, gifts and the most sensitive -- outside employment with company's that seek city contracts. A number of Council members would be affected by such a restriction on such work.
Rizzo met last week with Mayor Nutter -- who was elected on an ethics platform -- and both decided that it would be a good idea to wait a while. Rizzo said Nutter wanted to let his new ethics team, which includes a newly appointed inspector general and newly created chief integrity officer and new appointment to the Ethics Board settle in.
Rizzo also acknowledged that he didn't want to put Nutter in the position of straining his relationship with City Council, and expending a good deal of political capital, as soon as he stepped into the Mayor's Office.
"I did not want to rock the boat immediately for this new administration," Rizzo said Friday, adding that he expected to meet with the administration over summer break and come up with a plan.
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