“Accountability” means having to do more than say “I’m sorry.”

Or, in the case of Boston City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo, paying a fine.

The point seems to have been missed by Arroyo, fellow embattled Councilor Kendra Lara, and even Mayor Michelle Wu. Although Wu hasn’t engaged in the behaviors that put Lara and Arroyo on the hot seat, she dropped the ball in failing to call for their resignations.

Last month, Arroyo admitted that he violated the state’s conflict of interest law by continuing to represent his brother Felix in a 2018 civil suit after he was first elected to the council.  Arroyo agreed to pay a $3,000 penalty, and refuses to budge amid calls for his resignation.

The baton of bad behavior was passed to Lara.

According to the Herald, a newly obtained police report alleges that City Councilor Kendra Lara was traveling at a high rate of speed during “heavy” pedestrian and vehicular traffic when she slammed into a Jamaica Plain house late last month, causing injuries to her son.

The police report, which was filed on July 5, finds that Lara, 33, was driving the Honda Civic involved in the crash at a “minimum speed of 53.41 miles per hour” in the road with a 25 mph limit. According to police, Lara was driving an unregistered vehicle and her license had been revoked.

Lara said she was sorry and admitted she was in the crash. “We’re all accountable for our actions, and I’m no different, so I offer my sincerest apologies to everyone, especially the people of D6,” she said.

An apology is not the same as accountability – no matter the sincerity. Accountability calls for action, to own up to the gravity of the situation, in this case, a Boston city councilor allegedly speeding in a crowded area with an unregistered car and revoked license.

Boston City Council President Ed Flynn gets it. He wrote in a open letter: “The people of Boston deserve the highest standards of strong and ethical leadership.

“Moreover, they want elected officials who show maturity, take responsibility as adults, and demonstrate the ability to follow the same basic rules and norms as the people they serve when placing us in positions of public trust.”

This was the perfect opportunity for Mayor Wu to put the hammer down. Unfortunately, she shifted to first gear.

While she said the charges leveled against Arroyo and Lara have hurt the Council’s credibility, she stopped short of calling for their resignation, saying she plans to let the voters decide their fate in the Sept. 12 preliminary election.

Way to pass the buck.

By doing so, Wu is adding insult to injury for the people of Boston by her inaction.

The Mayor does acknowledge that damage has been done to the council’s reputation. “To be honest, I think it hurts credibility on every issue,” Wu said. “I would never want to say that there needs to be a standard of perfection for behavior. ”

No one is asking for councilors to be perfect.

They should simply adhere to the same laws and codes of ethics as the rest of us. And face consequences when they don’t.

“