Simi Lifts Finance-Disclosure Edict : FPPC Relents, Decides to Review Order on Appointees

The Simi Valley City Council has lifted an order requiring about 100 appointees to city advisory committees to file conflict-of-interest statements by tonight.

The indefinite suspension of the order follows a decision by the state Fair Political Practices Commission to review its ruling that committee members are covered by state laws requiring financial disclosure for public officials.

“We’re going to hold off until we resolve this issue,” Simi Valley Councilwoman Ann Rock said Tuesday.

The council vote Monday to suspend the deadline was unanimous.

The city had requested a ruling by the FPPC in July after some residents asked if advisory committees were required to follow conflict-of-interest disclosure laws. The commission made its decision in August.

But Jay Greenwood, an FPPC spokesman in Sacramento, said Tuesday that, after further discussion with city officials, the agency is reviewing its decision. “We may or may not change what we have previously indicated,” Greenwood said.

Case-by-Case Compliance

For now, he said, the state agency will determine on a case-by-case basis which committee members must comply.

Before the original FPPC decision, Simi Valley officials thought that members of advisory committees were exempt from disclosing financial information because--unlike the council, the planning commission and the rent mediation board--their activities were solely advisory, City Atty. John Torrance said.

But the FPPC concluded that, over the years, recommendations by those groups were usually implemented, making them, in effect, decision-making bodies.

City officials continued to argue otherwise, partly because of the consternation the FPPC ruling caused for committee members, who objected to having to disclose details of their finances.

‘Invasion of Privacy’

“Some of them thought it was an invasion of privacy, even though they may not have had anything to report,” Rock said.

She said that, since all committee recommendations are subject to review by City Council, “when you get right down to it, none of them has any decision-making capability.”

Rock said Simi Valley officials will review the function of each advisory committee with the FPPC to determine if any committee members will have to file the statements.

The affected groups are the five Neighborhood Council executive boards, Citizens Election Advisory Commission, Water Resources Advisory Board, Cable Communications Franchise Advisory Committee, Council on Aging, Transit System’s Productivity Improvement Committee, Home Rehabilitation Administrative Review Committee, Countywide Planning Program Advisory Committee and the Youth Employment Service Advisory Board.