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Home My WebLink About10-615 ARCURIO ADVICE OF COUNSEL October 12, 2010 Vincent Arcurio 104 Rudy Drive Johnstown, PA 15905 10-615 Dear Mr. Arcurio: This responds to your letter dated August 19, 2010, by which you requested an advisory from the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission. Issue: Whether the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act ("Ethics Act”), 65 Pa.C.S. § 1101 et seq., would impose any prohibitions or restrictions upon a school director, whose two cousins are employed as a principal and a secretary with the school district, with regard to voting on matters pertaining to his cousins. Facts: You request an advisory from the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission based upon submitted facts that may be fairly summarized as follows. You are a School Director for the Greater Johnstown School District (“School District”). You have two cousins who are employed as a principal and a secretary with the School District. You state that these two cousins are your first cousins, in that they are the children of your father’s brother. Based upon the above submitted facts, you ask whether the Ethics Act would prohibit you from: (1) voting for your cousin(s) to attend a conference; (2) voting for your cousin(s) to be reimbursed for expenses related to attendance at a conference/meeting or for expenses related to the purchase of books, supplies, or other such materials; (3) voting for your cousin(s) to be reimbursed for tuition expenses; or (4) voting on the issue of your cousin(s) working at athletic events within the School District. Discussion: It is initially noted that pursuant to Sections 1107(10) and 1107(11) of the Ethics Act, 65 Pa.C.S. §§ 1107(10), (11), advisories are issued to the requester based upon the facts that the requester has submitted. In issuing the advisory based upon the facts that the requester has submitted, the Commission does not engage in an independent investigation of the facts, nor does it speculate as to facts that have not been submitted. It is the burden of the requester to truthfully disclose all of the material facts relevant to the inquiry. 65 Pa.C.S. §§ 1107(10), (11). An advisory only affords a defense to the extent the requester has truthfully disclosed all of the material facts. As a School Director for the School District, you are a public official subject to the provisions of the Ethics Act. Arcurio, 10-615 October 12, 2010 Page 2 Sections 1103(a) and 1103(j) of the Ethics Act provide: § 1103. Restricted activities (a)Conflict of interest.-- No public official or public employee shall engage in conduct that constitutes a conflict of interest. (j)Voting conflict.-- Where voting conflicts are not otherwise addressed by the Constitution of Pennsylvania or by any law, rule, regulation, order or ordinance, the following procedure shall be employed. Any public official or public employee who in the discharge of his official duties would be required to vote on a matter that would result in a conflict of interest shall abstain from voting and, prior to the vote being taken, publicly announce and disclose the nature of his interest as a public record in a written memorandum filed with the person responsible for recording the minutes of the meeting at which the vote is taken, provided that whenever a governing body would be unable to take any action on a matter before it because the number of members of the body required to abstain from voting under the provisions of this section makes the majority or other legally required vote of approval unattainable, then such members shall be permitted to vote if disclosures are made as otherwise provided herein. In the case of a three-member governing body of a political subdivision, where one member has abstained from voting as a result of a conflict of interest and the remaining two members of the governing body have cast opposing votes, the member who has abstained shall be permitted to vote to break the tie vote if disclosure is made as otherwise provided herein. 65 Pa.C.S. §§ 1103(a), (j). The following terms related to Section 1103(a) are defined in the Ethics Act as follows: § 1102. Definitions "Conflict" or "conflict of interest." Use by a public official or public employee of the authority of his office or employment or any confidential information received through his holding public office or employment for the private pecuniary benefit of himself, a member of his immediate family or a business with which he or a member of his immediate family is associated. The term does not include an action having a de minimis economic impact or which affects to the same degree a class consisting of the general public or a subclass consisting of an industry, occupation or other group which includes the public official or public employee, a member of his immediate family or a business with which he or a member of his immediate family is associated. "Authority of office or employment." The actual power provided by law, the exercise of which is necessary to Arcurio, 10-615 October 12, 2010 Page 3 the performance of duties and responsibilities unique to a particular public office or position of public employment. "Immediate family." A parent, spouse, child, brother or sister. 65 Pa.C.S. § 1102. Pursuant to Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act, a public official/public employee is prohibited from using the authority of public office/employment or confidential information received by holding such a public position for the private pecuniary benefit of the public official/public employee himself, any member of his immediate family, or a business with which he or a member of his immediate family is associated. The use of authority of office is not limited merely to voting, but extends to any use of authority of office including, but not limited to, discussing, conferring with others, and lobbying for a particular result. Juliante, Order 809. In each instance of a conflict of interest, a public official/public employee would be required to abstain from participation, which would include voting unless one of the statutory exceptions of Section 1103(j) of the Ethics Act would be applicable. Additionally, the disclosure requirements of Section 1103(j) of the Ethics Act would have to be satisfied in the event of a voting conflict. In applying the above provisions of the Ethics Act to the instant matter, you are advised as follows. Subject to the statutory exceptions to the definition of “conflict” or “conflict of interest,” pursuant to Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act, you would have a conflict of interest in matters before the School District School Board that would financially impact you, a member of your immediate family, or a business with which you or a member of your immediate family is associated. Your cousins are not members of your “immediate family” as that term is defined in the Ethics Act. Cf., Pulice v. State Ethics Commission, 713 A.2d 161 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1998), allocatur denied, 557 Pa. 642, 732 A.2d 1211 (1998) (Holding that a relative not encompassed by the family relationships listed in the Ethics Act’s definition of the term “immediate family”—in that case, an in-law—would not be considered a member of immediate family); McGrory, Advice 03-605. Since your cousins are not members of your immediate family, Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act would not prohibit you from: (1) voting for your cousin(s) to attend a conference; (2) voting for your cousin(s) to be reimbursed for expenses related to attendance at a conference/meeting or for expenses related to the purchase of books, supplies, or other such materials; (3) voting for your cousin(s) to be reimbursed for tuition expenses; or (4) voting on the issue of your cousin(s) working at athletic events within the School District. Lastly, the propriety of the proposed conduct has only been addressed under the Ethics Act. Specifically not addressed herein is the applicability of the Public School Code. Conclusion: As a School Director for the Greater Johnstown School District (“School District”), you are a public official subject to the provisions of the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act (“Ethics Act”), 65 Pa.C.S. § 1101 et seq. Based upon the submitted facts that: (1) you have two cousins who are employed as a principal and a secretary with the School District; and (2) these two cousins are your first cousins, in that they are the children of your father’s brother, you are advised as follows. Subject to the statutory exceptions to the definition of “conflict” or “conflict of interest,” pursuant to Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act, you would have a conflict of interest in matters before Arcurio, 10-615 October 12, 2010 Page 4 the School District School Board that would financially impact you, a member of your immediate family, or a business with which you or a member of your immediate family is associated. Your cousins are not members of your “immediate family” as that term is defined in the Ethics Act. Since your cousins are not members of your immediate family, Section 1103(a) of the Ethics Act would not prohibit you from: (1) voting for your cousin(s) to attend a conference; (2) voting for your cousin(s) to be reimbursed for expenses related to attendance at a conference/meeting or for expenses related to the purchase of books, supplies, or other such materials; (3) voting for your cousin(s) to be reimbursed for tuition expenses; or (4) voting on the issue of your cousin(s) working at athletic events within the School District. Lastly, the propriety of the proposed conduct has only been addressed under the Ethics Act. Pursuant to Section 1107(11) of the Ethics Act, an Advice is a complete defense in any enforcement proceeding initiated by the Commission, and evidence of good faith conduct in any other civil or criminal proceeding, provided the requester has disclosed truthfully all the material facts and committed the acts complained of in reliance on the Advice given. This letter is a public record and will be made available as such. Finally, if you disagree with this Advice or if you have any reason to challenge same, you may appeal the Advice to the full Commission. A personal appearance before the Commission will be scheduled and a formal Opinion will be issued by the Commission. Any such appeal must be in writing and must be actually received at the Commission within thirty (30) days of the date of this Advice pursuant to 51 Pa. Code §13.2(h). The appeal may be received at the Commission by hand delivery, United States mail, delivery service, or by FAX transmission (717-787-0806). Failure to file such an appeal at the Commission within thirty (30) days may result in the dismissal of the appeal. Sincerely, Robin M. Hittie Chief Counsel