TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) - A political squabble is brewing at Toledo City Hall as Mayor Bell and some members of City Council are firing back and forth on the issue of ethics.
The mayor's proposal to increase the pay scales for top city administrators resulted in an ethics challenge from Councilman Steve Steel, which then resulted in the mayor submitting legislation to restrict certain campaign contributions.
Steel said in light of the potential for administrators to receive pay raises from the mayor if council approves the plan; he thinks it is right to ask the mayor to not accept campaign cash from employees who would benefit.
Mayor Bell's proposed legislation would forbid the mayor and council to accept money from city employees, their families and unions representing city employees, but Steel calls that a ‘red herring'.
"I want to make sure it wasn't a quid pro quo for past campaign contributions or for even consideration for future campaign contributions as we go into a re-election campaign," said Councilman Steel.
Councilman George Sarantou says politics is coming into play on both sides saying the issue of campaign contributions is clearly defined in both federal and state law.
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