Rocky is seeking OK to raise money for education fund

Mayor Rocky Anderson is seeking permission from the Salt Lake City Council to begin raising funds for his startup nonprofit organization for the education and advocacy of human rights and climate-change issues.

Anderson sent a letter to members of the City Council this week, requesting a waiver of the city ordinance that prohibits city public servants from seeking or receiving gifts for matters other than official city business.

In the letter, the mayor says he will seek contributions only from those who have no current business dealings with the city and are not likely to do so in the future.

The organization, pending resolution of trademark issues, will be called HumanKind Education Fund Inc., and Anderson anticipates being on its board, serving as an officer and working for it as a full-time, paid employee. The mayor plans to begin work with the group immediately after he leaves office Jan. 7, 2008.

Meanwhile, Anderson said he will not use his title and office, city staff or city resources to solicit any funding for HumanKind.

Those were the only concerns expressed by members of the City Council. The four council members reached for comment Thursday said they would support the waiver.

"As far as raising funds in his last few months, I don't have a problem with it as long as it stays within the ethics expectations of the city," Councilman Eric Jergensen said.

Councilwoman Jill Remington Love said she may have felt differently about the request had it come at the beginning of Anderson's administration, but with the mayor having just two months remaining in office, she doesn't see it being an issue.

Council members Carlton Christensen and Van Turner also said they plan to honor the mayor's request.

Anderson said he doesn't know whether HumanKind will be based in Salt Lake City, and he was noncommittal when asked if the national organization would be his main focus when he leaves office.

"There's a lot sort of up in the air right now," he said, "but I hope I'm able to spend a good deal of time in organizing this effort and launching it across the country."

Anderson said the goal is to set up local chapters of HumanKind in communities around the nation to empower people to push for a change in public policy as it relates to human rights and climate change.