There’s no denying we live in a “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” culture. There’s nothing wrong with people helping people, but the line can be crossed when people resort to bribery, kickbacks and other such illicit dealings. Especially in the public sector.

We count on people to do the right thing in their dealings. There are many (we hope most) who do so, but unfortunately there are too many who don’t. Either these breaches occur more frequently today than in times past or we are better at uncovering them. One reason many laws are passed is that too many didn’t do the right thing.

North Carolina has had too many who were supposed to be public servants using places of privilege and influence for personal gain. We, as a people in this state, need to decide whether or not this is acceptable and, if not, what needs to be done to rectify the situation.

Over recent years we have had an Agriculture Commissioner, a Congressman, a legislator and even the Speaker of the North Carolina House caught and convicted. Our legislature reluctantly passed ethics reform laws that, while good, didn’t go nearly far enough to set out clear guidelines for their own members and others in public positions to follow. It now appears our former Governor, along with family, friends and associates may have crossed that ethical line, revealing once again the “pay to play” culture that has crept into the public sector.

North Carolina has had too many who were supposed to be public servants using places of privilege and influence for personal gain. We, as a people in this state, need to decide whether or not this is acceptable and, if not, what needs to be done to rectify the situation. Here’s one place to start.

We limit the amount of money that can be given a politician to $4,000 per election, but have no limits on what an individual, business or PAC can contribute to a political party. So large sums can be accumulated, by legislative campaign committees, for example, and donated to the party. These large contributions can and frequently are earmarked for a particular candidate as an “in-kind” contribution, a classic example of pay-to-play politics.

In the 2008 election, for example, one coastal Senator received more than $300,000 from her party, a direct earmark from the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee. Badly outspent, her opponent lost.

Now this legislator is very smart and knows where the money came from that helped ensure victory. When the time came to vote for leadership in the Senate guess where her vote was cast? Further, guess how she is going to vote when measures come before the Senate? Lest you think us picking on one legislator this isn’t an isolated incidence. So the same leadership stays in power for too many years and runs roughshod over the way business is conducted. Nobody raises a voice in opposition. They are bought and paid for.

It is time for the next round of ethics reforms. Doing nothing is doing something. Our legislature needs to show us they recognize the pay-to-play culture and fix it. Otherwise, they are telling us clearly they see nothing wrong with the way things are going today. Do you?