No more freebies!
City officials will now have to pay to see Broadway shows — and give up plenty of other free tickets that once routinely came with the job.
A new strict ruling released by the city Conflict of Interest Board yesterday bars city lawmakers and employees from accepting gifts in the form of free tickets to shows, concerts, sporting events and other entertainment events unless they are performing an official duty, such as giving a speech.
It’s not enough simply to be acknowledged publicly by event hosts, the COIB said.
In addition, the politicians’ jobs have to have “a clear and direct nexus” to the “nature or location of the event.” The event has to be relevant to that person’s office or take place in an area he or she represents.
This marks the first time the COIB has issued a blanket ruling on whether officials can accept free tickets to these types of events; normally, it rules in specific cases, when asked.
“The board would be hard-pressed, for example, to find a nexus between a World Series game at Yankee Stadium and the official duties of any borough president except the Bronx borough president or between the US Tennis Open and the duties of any borough president except the Queens borough president,” the ruling said.
The decision applies only to entertainment and sporting events, not charity galas or fund-raising dinners, which elected officials often attend free of charge.
The ruling was issued in response to a request from the US Tennis Association in August, after the state decided Albany lawmakers could no longer accept free tickets to the US Open in Queens.
The Post first reported on the state’s decision, made in response to a complaint from state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Queens) saying the freebies were inappropriate.
In past years, city officials and council members attended the event with the blessing of the COIB, which OK’d it in a 2008 ruling requested by Speaker Christine Quinn.