From ElPasoTimes.com:
The El Paso City Council this week will take another look at public engagement at meetings after a vote limiting audience speakers to a set hour-long period at its previous meeting.
During its meeting on April 29, the City Council voted 7-1 to restrict public comments during meetings to only one hour at 10 a.m., a move that some argue would greatly diminish the public’s impact on City Council votes.
I imagine the initial discussion went something like this:
City Representative #1: Man, these meetings are boring. I could be out tanning instead of sitting here under the florescents.
City Representative #2: Right? After the last meeting, I missed happy hour. I mean, I’ve got a bottle in my desk, but if I just drink by myself, I don’t get to hang out with my campaign donors. Without happy hour, how do I know how to vote?
Rep #1: We waste a lot of time listening to the citizens. Meetings would go a lot faster if they’d just shut the hell up.
Rep #2: It’s not like we care what they say anyway. They might as well stand on the sidewalk and talk to the wind. Do you have an adderall I can borrow?
God bless them, those new council members are like deers in the headlights. They don’t know which way to jump. Mostly they’re just furniture, or bobble head dolls, and I’m okay with that. As long as they’re not spending money on stupid stuff, like several previous iterations of City Council.
But what good is City Council if they refuse to listen to what the people have to say?
They’re not even pretending to care anymore.
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