Commission: City real estate manager violated Ethics Act with purchase of house

A city of Pittsburgh manager who sold himself a city-owned house for $2,500 violated the Ethics Act and must pay a penalty, according to a state Ethics Commission order issued Monday.

Micah C. T. Sims, executive director of the watchdog group Common Cause Pennsylvania, applauded the commission for the finding of a violation, but wondered whether the remedy was sufficient. “A slap on the hand is nice,” he said. But, he added, “This type of practice cannot continually go on.” He suggested that the city might take the house back and put it “up for sale again through the right process.”