Iorio's ethics

There shouldn't be any doubt Tampa's mayor intends to raise the professionalism of city employees. Twice last month, Pam Iorio struck hard and fast in separate cases calling for strong disciplinary action. She cleaned house in the housing department, which had long been a cowboy operation, and fired four employees in the parking department for sending racist and sexually explicit e-mails. If mayors must pick their battles with the staff, Iorio's choices were good ones.

The housing office needed new direction even before its former chief, Steve LaBrake, was indicted last year for bribery. Iorio forced out three senior staffers who should have done more to improve the department's sense of accountability and ethics. The mayor's reorganization should help rebuild the housing office's credibility. For the first time in years, every manager in the housing department will be new - and better yet, an Iorio appointee.

Iorio also fired four employees accused of sending derogatory and sexually graphic e-mails. An internal investigation concluded that the employees repeatedly violated city policies by trading jokes, explicit photographs and "inappropriate" comments about co-workers and subordinates. The mayor's office said the four, most of whom had supervisory responsibilities, "demonstrated a pattern of unacceptable behavior that could create a hostile working environment." Her swift action should signal to every department manager they are responsible for the treatment of rank-and-file employees.

Many thought Iorio was naive for giving ethics such prominence in her campaign for mayor. She had spent her career in county - not city - government, after all, and besides, term limits made the mayor more dependent on the professional staff. But these two cases show that Iorio has raised the bar on how city employees should behave.

Opinion

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