Commission Shift has many good ideas for overhauling ethics guidelines, but I’m not holding my breath. The Legislature will not rename the agency, let alone reform it.
The commission, though, will become more critical as climate change worsens. Instead of industry boosters, we need regulators who will oversee the winding down of oil and gas production. We need commissioners who will make sure taxpayers do not pick up the tab for abandoned wells and other environmental problems. We need elected officials who are not captive to the industry.