Attachment A - Andre Williams.pdf

Citizen Petition 
Ethics Commission 
City Council Members/Mayor, 
In 2017, the city council voted to establish an ethics commission to review complaints against 
council members and mayor. I thank those who are currently serving on the council today who voted to 
have the ethics commission established four years ago. Unfortunately, even though the ethics 
commission exist on paper including on the city’s website and in the elected official’s ethic handbook, 
the committee still does not exist as of April 2021 as noted in the Arizona Republic article Phoenix fails 
to set up ethics commission for 4 years dated 2021/04/13. This is a very disappointing result to say the 
least but since the commission has yet to be established, I Andre Williams petition the city council to: 
Create a commission that is representative of electorate in Phoenix, which according to the 
Maricopa county recorder is approx. 

One third Democrat

One third Republican

One third Independent

the rest other party
The current ghost commission is said to be made up of two Democrats, two Republicans, and one no 
party. Why are Independents underrepresented on such an important committee or on any committee 
for that matter?  
The city-council should vote to change the current membership from two Democrats, two Republicans, 
and one no party to the following: 

Two Democrats

Two Republicans

Two Independents

One other party
for a total of seven. Furthermore, given that the city-council has the final say whether action is taken 
against a member its council, the ethics commission should only need a simple majority, 4 out of 7, to 
declare an ethics violation.  
I hope the current council agrees that the ethics commission should have representation consistent with 
the breakdown of the city’s own electorate and also that a simple majority is all that is needed for the 
commission to declare an ethics violation.   
Thank you very much, 
Sincerely, 
Andre Williams 
Attachment A