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TO: Mayor John Laesch
FROM: Shannon Cameron, Chief of Staff
DATE: October 2, 2025
SUBJECT:
Omnibus Ethics Ordinance-Amendments to the Code of Ordinances Regarding Disclosure of Economic Interests, Campaign Contributions, Lobbying, and Use of City Property
PURPOSE:
To modernize and consolidate the City of Aurora's ethics framework by strengthening disclosure requirements, establishing clearer limits on campaign contributions, and clarifying restrictions on lobbying and political fundraising.
BACKGROUND:
Over the past several decades, Illinois law and local practice regarding ethics, transparency, and campaign finance have evolved significantly. The City's existing ordinances on economic interest disclosure, campaign contributions, and outside employment were drafted in an era when public access to information was limited, and disclosure requirements were narrower.
Recent amendments to the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act, the Election Code, and related statutes have expanded state-level disclosure requirements, imposed stricter limits on gifts and contributions, and provided greater public access to filings through online platforms. Meanwhile, the City's existing ordinances retained provisions that are duplicative, outdated, or inconsistent with modern practice.
In response, Mayors Office and Legal Team has reviewed Aurora's ethics code with the aim of eliminating redundancy, closing gaps in local oversight, and ensuring that City officers, employees, and candidates are held to high standards of transparency and accountability. The proposed omnibus ordinance reflects the outcome of that review
DISCUSSION:
The omnibus ordinance introduces several significant reforms. First, the provisions on Disclosure of Economic Interests and Campaign Finances (Sec. 2-185) expand local obligations beyond state law by requiring covered persons to disclose outside employment, real estate holdings, entity ownership, involvement in city-funded organizations, and the re...
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