Let’s Educate Our Officials

Shawn Boyd’s story has changed so much in a little more than a year. All it lacks now is a happy ending.

The case of the wayward councilman and two related tales point to the need for active measures to make sure Orange County’s officeholders keep public service at the forefront.

In September 2001, Boyd, then a Seal Beach councilman, was accused of voting seven times on city business despite a clear conflict of interest. He also failed to reveal his financial connection on state financial forms that are filed under penalty of perjury. His problems all involved his deals with the owner of a mobile-home park and his votes to use city-backed bonds to underwrite the purchase of the park by a nonprofit group.

Boyd’s first story: He’d never actually received money from the owner, so he didn’t have a conflict. He was just working on pending deals, none of them having anything to do with the mobile-home park. “Nobody makes any money until the deal closes,” Boyd said. He had gotten legal advice that his actions were within the law. Besides, he was entitled to make a living.

A few months later, prosecutors filed documents showing that Boyd actually had received quite a bit of money: $104,000. Not surprisingly, Boyd lost his council seat in the March 2002 election.

Boyd’s next story: He’d been unfairly tainted by scandal. “Some people believe you are guilty until proven innocent.”

Boyd’s current story: He’s guilty.

This month, Boyd pleaded guilty to a felony conflict-of-interest charge. He was fined nearly $50,000 and is barred for life from seeking public office.

Investigators said Boyd had helped the owner of the mobile-home park by telling him the city had more funding available. Suddenly, the owner raised his asking price for the homes. It also turns out the city wasn’t the only one Boyd kept in the dark. He neglected to tell state tax collectors and was convicted of state tax evasion as well.

Yet Boyd’s story is still missing an apology for his crimes.

His case is unpleasantly similar to that of former Huntington Beach Councilman Dave Garofalo, who repeatedly voted on city matters that involved companies that were advertising clients of his publishing company. He, too, said he’d been acting within the law. Garofalo resigned and was fined, sentenced to community service and banned from public office.

Laguna Beach Mayor Wayne Baglin pleaded not guilty to similar charges this month. He represented the sellers in a real-estate deal with the city when he was councilman. The case against him is murkier than the others, though his financial dealings were at least unseemly. Baglin revealed his financial conflict and abstained from the council vote. He thinks his actions were legal. And, like Boyd, he defends his right to make money.

Enough already. Yes, public officials are entitled to make a living. But they must understand that they’re not as free to make business deals as a private citizen is. By running for office, and thus taking the public’s purse strings in their hands, they give up certain financial privileges. They cannot accept large gifts from just anyone. They cannot blend their personal affairs with government business. And if they cannot live with those restrictions, they should remain private citizens.

A little education is in order to combat an apparent outbreak of legal ignorance among Orange County’s public officials. How about orientation sessions for the newly elected on their rights and legal obligations? Afterward, they would sign a form saying they understand the law now. And then the public might hear the end of these stories.