State integrity news for California, from the San Diego Union-Tribune:

We think it’s time that local school boards go beyond state Fair Political Practices Commission rules that generally limit gifts from one source to officials at local agencies to $420 a year. Instead, school and community college districts should adopt their own regulations forbidding board members or officials from accepting anything of value from contractors or potential contractors.

The usual rationale for allowing the gifts – that a contractor buying dinner for a board member or superintendent helps establish a productive working relationship – is flimsy at best. Instead, the gifts are obvious attempts to curry favor with people making decisions that could be highly lucrative for the gift-givers.

Read the rest of the story at the San Diego Union-Tribune.