More than three dozen public officials have not filed their ethics statements yet.
The State Ethics Commission sent letters to the 38 public officials last week notifying them that they face a $250 fine and other disciplinary action for not providing a statement of economic interest to prevent potential conflicts of interest on the boards and commissions they serve, reports Dan Kane.
The state's new ethics law requires roughly 4,400 public officials provide these ethics statements by March 15. Those who had not filed by then were given a notice in mid April that if they did not file within the next 30 days, they could face the fine and be removed from their public positions.
Most got the message the second time around. According to the commission, more than 500 had not filed by March 15, but after the second notice less than 40 had still not sent anything in.
More after the jump.
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Among the officials is a former member of the UNC Board of Governors who serves as a trustee at the N.C. School of the Arts and as a member of the regional economic development partnership for Western North Carolina.
But Sam Neill, a Hendersonville attorney, said the reason his statement has not been received by the State Ethics Commission, which oversees the state's new and tougher ethics law, is not for lack of trying. He said he prepared a statement, only to find that his clerical staff had not sent it.
"I was stunned when I got the (fine) letter yesterday," said Neill. "I want off the list. I've got no business with the state. I've got no reason not to have filed it."
The list of nonfilers includes five members of the Governor's Advisory Commission on Persons With Disabilities, three members of the N.C. School of the Arts and three members of the Western North Carolina Regional Economic Commission, also known as AdvantageWest. Neill accounts for a slot each on the latter two boards.
He said he has sent in the statement and expects the ethics commission to have it in a few days. The commission's next meeting is Aug. 10, and it will take up the issue of assessing fines against late or nonfilers.
