From LBRC Press Release 8/12/2019:
Yesterday the Long Beach Reform Coalition learned from reporting in LBReport.com that item #11 on an anonymous City memorandum (conventionally referred to as “To/From/For” memos but missing the “From:” in this case) posted to the City’s web site signals that at the first regular meeting of the City Council in the new council chambers the public’s right to full participation in local government will be curtailed. This item was not part of the original package of so-called “streamlining” recommendations to reduce the duration of Council meetings, first suggested by Councilman Daryl Supernaw, proposed by City staff, and debated by Council last May. That package, apparently now including this undebated item, is still being drafted as a proposed ordinance by the City Attorney.
Specifically, the right of residents to attend Council and line up to speak during discussion of Council agenda items has been eliminated by item #11. Going forward, the public will only be allowed to speak if they have submitted a speaking card (previously only required for non-agenda related public comments) and done so in advance of the particular agenda item being called. Submitting notice in advance is no less convenient to lobbyists and representatives of special interests, who only attend Council to deliver prepared remarks for an anticipated agenda item. But members of the public often watch the proceedings seated in the chamber and find themselves moved, in the moment, by what they see and hear, to queue up and have their say.
The loss of this longstanding civic right will represent the further eroding of the democratic process in Long Beach. While many of the recent “streamlining” proposals are unobjectionable (such as the limitation on extended, uninterrupted speeches by councilmembers), this item will add to a short list of highly inappropriate changes, to which LBRC also objects, limiting the public: Those objectionable items include #10 on the memo, as well, shortening the public’s speaking time to 90 seconds each for more than ten speakers in line, and a proposal during the May discussion which could lead to public comment being confined to meetings of Council committees rather than the full Council.
The Long Beach Reform Coalition encourages the public to preserve its right to speak impromptu by, when attending Council, filling out a speaking card or cards indicating intent to speak on ALL AGENDA ITEMS, until this anti-democratic policy is undone. Members of the public may then choose which items they actually intend to speak to when called. Should this become burdensome to the Council, it should be interpreted as a form of civil disobedience curable by a restoration of the public’s former right to speak impromptu during discussion of any agenda item.
PDF file of the LBRC press release can be found here
