That's the decision the Salt Lake County Council wrestled with the other day as it discussed where to set the legal limit on the value of gifts to county officials. But the debate over amounts tends to obscure the principle behind the rule, namely, that politicians should not accept any gifts, period. The exceptions should be lawful, fully disclosed campaign contributions, and personal gifts from family.

That means pols should not accept theater or Jazz tickets, free rounds of golf, free meals or junkets. Jewelry and other trinkets are right out.

Why? Because the giver is trying to ingratiate himself with the recipient. And it's just human nature that it is harder to turn down the request of someone who has just wined and dined you, or taken you to a football game or the ballet as his guest.

Many Utah politicians - some legislators are the worst - get indignant when it is suggested that their votes can be bought with a lunch.

But think of it in these terms. People would be outraged if a judge accepted gifts from the defense attorney or went to lunch with the prosecutor, because to do so might bias the outcome of a case.

The standard should be no different for elected leaders. They are entrusted by the public to be decisionmakers, just as judges are. They should strive to maintain objectivity. That should mean turning down freebies.

So the general rule should be that elected leaders and other officials should turn down all gifts. The only reason to set a value limit higher than zero - say, $20 - is so that a public servant can accept something harmless like a bottle of water or a soda from someone at a public event and not run afoul of the law.

Councilman Joe Hatch is right that bigger ethical temptations come in the form of professional favors that people who want something from government can use to influence officials. Public servants should avoid these larger traps, but that doesn't mean they can ignore the smaller ones.

Public office is a public trust, which means that, like Caesar's wife, elected officials must be above reproach.