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CONFLICT OF INTEREST Endnotes 1. See Lenz v. Coon Creek Watershed District, 278 Minn. 1, 153 N.W.2d 209, 219 (1967) (the purpose behind conflict of interest rules which disqualify public officials from participating in proceedings when the officials "have a direct interest in [the] outcome is to insure that their decision will not be an arbitrary reflection of their own selfish interests "). 2. See, e.g., Minn. Stat. §§ 10A.11 -.34 (1990) (governing political committee organizations and the collection and allocation of political funds); see also 1990 Minn. Laws ch. 608, art. 3 (enacting state campaign reforms). 3. See, e.g., Minn. Stat. §§ 10A.03 -.05 (1990) (governing lobbyist registration and reporting); see also 1990 Minn. Laws ch. 608, art. 1 (amending statutory lobbyist registration and reporting requirements; extending registration and reporting requirements to lobbyist activities undertaken on behalf of political subdivisions). 4. See, e.g., Minn. Stat. § 471.705 (1990) (establishing open meeting requirements for public entities transacting public business); see also Minn. Stat. § 471.705, subds. ld, le (1990) (governing discussions of "not public data" at public meetings and requiring public entities to state reasons for closing public meetings). 5. See, e.g., Minn. Stat. § 10A.09 (1990) (governing statements of economic interest); see also 1990 Minn. Laws ch. 608, art. 2, §§ 2 -4 (amending statutory provisions governing disclosure of economic interests). 6. The "common law" is distinguished from statutory or codified law. The common law comprises a body of general principles and rules derived from long- standing usage, custom, and precedent. Statutory law is created by legislative enactment. See Black's Law Dictionary 250 (5th ed. 1979). Common law conflict of interest rules governing the conduct of public officials and agents were expressly adopted in Minnesota in the early part of the century. See generally City of Minneapolis v. Canterbury, 122 Minn. 301, 142 N.W. 812 (1913). The statutory conflict of interest provisions of Minnesota Statutes Chapter 10A generally refer to financial interests and might not necessarily encompass property interests which are recognized under common law conflict of interest principles. However, the conflict of interest notice forms published by the Ethical Practices Board ask individuals to identify conflicts of interest involving real property. Cf. Op. Att'y Gen. No. 396g -16 (Oct. 15, 1957) (city council members whose property was affected by a vacation petition before the city council and who would gain land as a result of the vacation had no right to vote or otherwise participate in the vacation proceedings). The state's attorney general is authorized to render legal opinions on questions of public importance. See Minn. Stat. §§ 8.05, 8.07 (1990). Although not binding on the courts, "opinions of the attorney general are entitled to careful consideration by appellate courts, especially when [the opinions] are of long standing." Billigmeier v. County of Hennepin, 428 N.W.2d 79, 82 (Minn. 1988). 7. See generally 1974 Minn. Laws ch. 470 (approved April 12, 1974). To the extent the statutory conflict laws do not abrogate or conflict with established common law rules, the common law rules still may apply. See Koep v. Karger, 253 Minn. 542, 93 N.W.2d 137, 143 (1958) (a "common -law rule is in force in this state except as it has been abrogated by legislative enactment "); Jung v. St. Paul Fire Department Relief Association, 223 Minn. 402, 27 N.W.2d 151,153 (1947) (the common law is in force "except as it * * * is not adopted to our conditions ").