Public Comment

Dear City Council, I urge you to Vote NO to item 19 and the supplemental proposal that would limit public comment. We are coping with so many things that seek to limit democracy at every level these days, gerrymandering, purging voter databases, and more. And now here in Berkeley, there is the potential for limiting public input on the local issues we care about. Please vote NO on Item 19 this Tuesday.The spirit of the Brown Act, which governs public comment in California, is to safeguard the public’s First Amendment rights and to ensure transparency and accountability. Separating public comment from each policy item effectively strips the public of meaningful input. Critical issues around labor or tenant rights, police reform or the environment do not lend themselves to soundbytes.