Can county supervisors hold other government jobs? Here's what California law says - Stockton Record

Supervisor Robert Rickman works full time as a California Highway Patrol sergeant, in addition to representing District 5 on the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors.

Both roles are government positions, and both earn him a full-time salary. But the situation does not present a conflict of interest, Rickman said.

"(The roles) don't have oversight over each other, so there's not a conflict."

Critics say it is inappropriate for Rickman to draw two taxpayer-funded salaries for government positions they say both require his full time and attention. But Rickman's situation is permitted under California law, County Counsel J. Mark Myles said.

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California's Political Reform Act — a government ethics law voters passed in 1974 — specifically addresses this scenario.

"The (Political Reform Act) does not prohibit you from holding multiple public positions, either within a single agency or different agencies," according to the Fair Political Practices Commission.

There is a caveat, however. One person cannot hold two government positions if they involve overlapping or conflicting duties — for example, one position cannot have supervisorial or auditing authority over the other.

This is not the case with Rickman, Myles said. Neither the California Highway Patrol nor the Board of Supervisors has oversight authority over the other agency.

Whether it's possible in practice for an elected official to perform their duties satisfactorily while holding a second job — public or private — is for voters to decide, Myles said. Though county supervisors draw full-time salaries, there is no requirement that they work a certain number of hours.

Rickman said his CHP job does not detract from his duties as a supervisor.

"I work nights. So it doesn't affect the county at all," he said. "I'm probably one of the most active elected officials in this area."

Record reporter Aaron Leathley covers business, housing, and land use. She can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @LeathleyAaron. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

source: https://www.recordnet.com/story/news/politics/county/2022/01/05/county-supervisors-can-have-another-job-even-government-chp-law-says-unless-conflict-of-interest/9096406002/

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