---
[ ARCHIVE ](https://www.citywatchla.com/archive)
# Act Now to Restore Trust In Government
April 10 2014
Written by Ed Coghlan.
[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)
***HERE’S WHAT TO DO***-When State Senators [get arrested](http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/03/california-lawmakers-oust-three-disgraced-senators.html#mi_rss=Capitol%20Alert), indicted and convicted, as a trio has in California this calendar year, it shakes the public’s confidence in our government. And rightly so.
That’s why California Forward (CA Fwd) is calling on legislators to take immediate action on implementing reforms to restore public trust in government. Our *Path Toward Trust* ([which you can read here](http://www.cafwd.org/pages/path-toward-trust)) is designed to accelerate and focus the State’s response to these scandals.
What we propose are all things that can and should be done immediately. Survey after survey showed that a deficit of trust in Sacramento existed among Californians well before 2014, and recent events have only set the bar even lower and made the need for immediate action on the part of the Legislature that much more critical.
“The recent events in Sacramento provide an opportunity for elected officials to meet this crisis of confidence head-on and enact real and immediate reform to restore confidence in elected officials,” said [Lenny Mendonca](http://www.cafwd.org/pages/lenny-mendonca), co-chair of the CA Fwd Leadership Council.
CA Fwd, a non partisan group that is dedicated to improving accountability and trust in government, believes every violation of the law by a public official is also a violation of the public trust.
The “Path Toward Trust” includes the following steps:
1\) Modernize California’s outdated campaign and lobbying disclosure system, known as Cal-Access;
2\) Create online filing of economic interests statements of all public officials (Form 700);
3\) Extend whistle-blower protection for legislative staff (there’s movement on that bill this week already);
4\) Create an independent legislative ethics officer;
5\) Enact a 72-hour Read-the-Bill provision; and,
6\) Enshrine the public’s Right-to-Know in the state Constitution.
“Many of our elected officials are responsible, hard working public servants and they can demonstrate that to all of us by enacting the elements of this proposal before breaking for the summer recess,” Mendonca added.
Californians have been willing to support reforms, from Citizen’s Redistricting and the Top Two Primary to 12 year term limits, because they want to reclaim our government. We are living in an era of political reform in California, but reform is not possible without the will and support of the people.
“Until now, lawmakers have not felt compelled to reform the rules that affect them,” said [Jim Mayer,](http://www.cafwd.org/pages/james-mayer) CEO of CA Fwd. “What we propose is only the beginning of a prescription. But it is a good start and CA Fwd will continue to work with allies to identify others ways to fix our democracy.”
There is serious work ahead of us–creating real budget discipline to avoid our boom and bust budget cycles, investing in our crumbling infrastructure and finding innovative ways to deal with our severe drought.
“To achieve all of that and more, government needs the people’s trust,” said Mendonca. “There is no better time than now for legislators to seize this opportunity.”
***(Ed Coghlan is Contributing Editor & Special Correspondent at California Forward where this piece was first posted. [California Forward](http://cadwd.org) is a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization, devoted to improving the performance of government in California. )***
***-cw***
**CityWatch**
**Vol 12 Issue 30**
**Pub: Apr 11, 2014**
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/107 "LA DWP | Save $4K, Green | Priority Ad")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/98 "Donna Tryfman - HS1-1")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Power Savers)")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/111 "David DeJute Campaign")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/97 "Home - LA DWP #2 (Pay Water Bill Help)")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/112 "Anna Reitano Vertical R. Col")
## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays
First Name
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/110 "Something You Should Know")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/113 "Rhonda Haymon campaign")
---
## Featured CityWatch Stories
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33444-lahsa-is-gone-but-the-homeless-industrial-complex-lives-on)
### [LAHSA Is Gone, but the Homeless-Industrial-Complex Lives On](https://www.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33444-lahsa-is-gone-but-the-homeless-industrial-complex-lives-on)
HOMELESSNESS - Los Angeles’s homelessness program is in complete disarray, undermined by systemic gridlock, structural…
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/neighborhood-politics/33434-karen-bass-trails-in-reelection-race-can-she-turn-it-around)
### [Karen Bass Trails in Reelection Race — Can She Turn It Around?](https://www.citywatchla.com/neighborhood-politics/33434-karen-bass-trails-in-reelection-race-can-she-turn-it-around)
WESTSIDE - As of September 27, 2026, Karen Bass is in a substantially weaker position than she was entering the June pr…
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/finance/33442-the-settlement-bill-nobody-is-managing-inside-los-angeles-countys-sheriff-litigation-tab)
### [The Settlement Bill Nobody Is Managing — Inside Los Angeles County's Sheriff Litigation Tab](https://www.citywatchla.com/finance/33442-the-settlement-bill-nobody-is-managing-inside-los-angeles-countys-sheriff-litigation-tab)
THE NAVARRO REPORT - Last month, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a $12.5 million settlement over t…
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/housing/33413-with-national-implications-corporate-landlords-take-aim-at-three-pro-rent-control-campaigns-in-california)
### [With National Implications, Corporate Landlords Take Aim at Three Pro-Rent Control Campaigns in California](https://www.citywatchla.com/housing/33413-with-national-implications-corporate-landlords-take-aim-at-three-pro-rent-control-campaigns-in-california)
HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT - Corporate landlords and their high-powered lobbying group, the California Apartment Associat…
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33431-the-unflinching-daily-horror-in-the-west-bank)
### [The Unflinching Daily Horror In The West Bank](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33431-the-unflinching-daily-horror-in-the-west-bank)
THE WEST BANK - More often than not, I find myself at a loss for words to convey Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the rele…
---
## [ ARCHIVE ](https://www.citywatchla.com/archive)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/archive/15339-early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles)### [Early Intervention and Jobs are Key to Stemming Chronic Homelessness in Los Angeles](https://www.citywatchla.com/archive/15339-early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles)
### [Tucker Carlson and Gay Rightwinger Blame California Wildfires On Hiring LGBTQ People](https://www.citywatchla.com/archive/18755-tucker-carlson-and-gay-rightwinger-blame-california-wildfires-on-hiring-lgbtq-people)
### [Anti-LGBTQ Veep Just Can’t Stop Talking about Mayor Pete](https://www.citywatchla.com/archive/17690-anti-lgbtq-veep-just-can-t-stop-talking-about-mayor-pete)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/archive/15316-news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties)### [NEWS PULSE: ‘Corrupt System’ Reason for Not Voting in 2018 … Majority Wants More Than Two Parties](https://www.citywatchla.com/archive/15316-news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/archive/10245-dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles)### [Dead Dog Set on Fire … Sparks Fears for Strays in Los Angeles](https://www.citywatchla.com/archive/10245-dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles)