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Kenney campaign issues proposals on ethics and pay-to-play

Kenney claims his reforms would save the city nearly $160 million over several years.

Jim Kenney speaks during the mayoral forum at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia on Wednesday, March 18, 2015. ( STEPHANIE AARONSON / Staff Photographer )
Jim Kenney speaks during the mayoral forum at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia on Wednesday, March 18, 2015. ( STEPHANIE AARONSON / Staff Photographer )Read more

MAYORAL CANDIDATE Jim Kenney yesterday released a multipoint policy paper outlining how he would strengthen ethics and attack the practice of pay-to-play in city government if he were elected.

In what is his first major policy paper of the campaign, Kenney estimated that if his proposed reforms were adopted, the city would save an estimated $159 million in revenue over the next several years.

"As mayor, I will create an ethical and transparent government powered by 21st century technology and best practices," read a Kenney quote contained in the news release announcing the proposals.

Kenney grouped his ideas into three categories: strengthening ethics polices; driving down pay-to-play; and building an accessible and transparent 21st-century government.

Many of the proposals would require City Council's approval. When asked for comment, Council President Clarke's spokeswoman referred questions to his campaign office. The campaign office did not respond to the Daily News.

Included among the proposals:

* Under ethics, Kenney said he would sign an executive order to continue the offices of Inspector General and Chief Integrity Officer and would fight to make the offices permanent in the city Home Rule Charter; he also wants to ban executive branch and administration employees from accepting gifts; ban nepotism in personnel decisions; require that certain employees disclose any ties they or family members have to nonprofit organizations; and require mayoral appointees to disclose all sources of outside employment.

* Under pay-to-play, Kenney said he would work to enact a law similar to one in New York City requiring groups that make independent expenditures in city elections to disclose their largest donors and the sources of their funds.

* Under building a transparent government, Kenney said he wants to modernize procurement, return to a strong managing-director model, break down government silos, increase access to data and public records, create a new open-records policy and invest more in technology, which includes refining and improving the city's 3-1-1 information line.