TAMPA - City Attorney David Smith is drafting an ordinance to ensure that people getting city contracts have a clean track record.
The ordinance would disqualify contractors who have been found guilty of "public entity" crimes against the city of Tampa or other public bodies. Public entity crime includes fraud, theft, bribery and racketeering.
"One thing you want to avoid is the perception that this is a good old boy network and maybe if you buy us a Buick or something, we'd get you a contract," Smith said at Thursday's City Council meeting.
Having fair policies in place, he said, will also increase the amount of competition among businesses wanting city contracts and help get the lowest bids possible on purchases.
Problems in the city's housing department, which has suffered three years of scandal, audits and criminal indictments, have put a focus on the process of how contracts are awarded.
The proposed ordinance comes back before the council for a public hearing on May 27.
