Final answer:
It is both unethical and illegal to offer money to a city council member to influence their vote, as it constitutes bribery and undermines democratic processes. The cost of voting can include time and effort, while large communities may struggle to influence policy like special interest groups due to collective action problems.
Step-by-step explanation:
Offering a member of the city council $100,000 to vote in a certain way on a matter, such as giving an entrepreneur the local cable television franchise, is both unethical and illegal. This act constitutes bribery, which is a criminal offense in most legal systems. The ethical framework within business and politics dictates that decisions should be made based on merit and public interest, not personal financial gains. Furthermore, the legal system reinforces this ethical stance by classifying such behavior as a corrupt practice, punishable by law.
The question of ethics and legality in influencing voting decisions through monetary means can also extend to the overall community. Even though 10,000 townspeople stand to benefit by $300 if a tax passes, and could theoretically spend up to $3 million to ensure passage, this does not make the act of offering money to a council member legal or ethical. Political influence through monetary compensation undermines democratic processes and fair competition.
Regarding the cost of voting in an election, it is important to differentiate between financial costs and other forms of costs such as time and effort spent in voting. The main factor that prevents a large community from influencing policy in the same way as a special interest group is often the collective action problem, where organizing a large group to pursue a common interest can be challenging due to the differing levels of motivation, resources, and the free-rider problem.