news-record.com

One more state government scandal was too many. Gov. Bev Perdue cracked down Thursday with an order that tells executive branch employees: No gifts or favors.

This should have been decreed a long time ago. Instead, the state has been plagued by petty corruption for years. The latest story involves an investigation of employees in the Division of Motor Vehicles and Division of Air Quality who accepted meals and gifts from a company that provides equipment and services for the state's vehicle inspections program.

Of course, the pacesetter may have been the last governor. Mike Easley has drawn the attention of investigators examining whether he received unreported gifts from friends with interests in state government.

Perdue is becoming the anti-Easley. She's taken steps to make her administration more open, with higher ethical standards. Thursday's action pushes far beyond existing law, which only applies to employees directly involved in administering contracts. Now, no workers under the governor's authority can take gifts from companies that deal with the state.

To make sure they understand, she's ordered top administrators to go over the rules with employees and to make it a part of orientation for all new workers to study the requirements. Employees will be told that violations will trigger disciplinary action.

The order is strict but fair and crystal clear. State employees earn salaries and benefits for their work. Anything beyond that from outside sources creates an impression of possible influence and divided loyalties. State employees work for the public, first and only. Their position does not entitle them to any private compensation or gratuity.

The governor's reach is limited, however, because of North Carolina's fragmented administrative structure. Her order doesn't apply to agencies run by independently elected officials such as the secretary of state, attorney general and commissioners of agriculture, labor and insurance. Nor does it cover the state university and community college systems.

It does "encourage and invite" those agencies to follow suit -- and they should. Furthermore, the executive order should be translated into law and applied to all of state government by the General Assembly.

North Carolina residents deserve effective, efficient state government. Sadly, recent years have brought reports of waste and malfeasance. That's unacceptable, especially when more is being asked of hard-pressed taxpayers.

Perdue has raised taxes, but at least she's giving the public more honest government for its money.