#BRIDGEPORT  CT– Today, former Bridgeport Mayor and 2015 mayoral candidate Joe Ganim unveiled a proposal to establish an Office of Public Integrity (OPI). The public’s interest in transparency and open government is a top priority for Ganim.

Prompted in part by the recent cover up of crime statistics by the current administration, and the continued refusal to disclose the reevaluation numbers and hidden tax increases for the following calendar year, Ganim made the announcement for the OPI.

Ganim says, “An Office of Public Integrity must be independent and nonpartisan. It should have jurisdiction to have oversight of all aspects of Bridgeport’s government operations, agencies, and authorities.”

The Office of Public Integrity will achieve cost savings for the people of Bridgeport both from uncovering wasteful spending and from reforming and proposing improvements to City of Bridgeport purchasing practices. The Office of Public Integrity will also bring about more transparency in government by ensuring documents about financial and other dealings are properly released.

Advising Ganim on the OPI is Ed Adams, former FBI agent who led the efforts against Ganim for public corruption. Adams is supporting Ganim in this effort, as well as his bid for Mayor.

“This is an important initiative to reassure transparency and integrity in the city of Bridgeport. I’m more than willing to help Joe in this effort, and in any capacity to help this city. Despite the past, I believe Joe Ganim is the right person to lead Bridgeport into the future,” stated Adams.

Ganim stated, “I believe this an important step to ensure transparency and integrity in city government.”

“If this Office of Public Integrity was already in place, the people of Bridgeport would already know what is happening with the secret tax reassessment process underway and learn more about why taxes in Bridgeport are so high.”

 Ganim’s plan for this Office of Public Integrity include:

• Assure the public’s interest is protected in an open, transparent and honest government;

• Protect the rights of citizens and the press to have access to public documents;

• Provides transparency in city processes to ensure compliance with municipal law and City ordinances;

• Create a means to a fair and thorough investigation of corruption and address any complaints as they pertain to dishonest practices in City government operations;

Ganim concluded, “It is important for our city’s government to be transparent and earn the trust of their residents. This will be a giant step in the right direction for Bridgeport governmental operations.”