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More time for public comment?
By: Joshua Sabatini
Examiner Staff Writer
10/13/09 12:39 PM PDT
Soon, the public could talk about anything under the sun at Board of Supervisors committee meetings, held routinely most weeks.
The Board of Supervisors currently allows members of the public to comment on items not on the agenda during its Tuesday meeting when all 11 members are present.
But Supervisors Michela Alioto-Pier wants a general public comment period for each of the board’s seven committees, such as the public safety committee or the land use committee.
Legislation that would require the increase in general public comment is up for a vote at the board’s Rules Committee on Thursday.
Alioto-Pier’s legislation comes from a sunshine complaint filed with the Sunshine Task Force, which found the complaint had merit. The complaint said Supervisor Chris Daly wrongly pulled a taxi charter amendment proposal from a board committee agenda during a July 2 meeting without allowing for public comment.
Sunshine Task Force President Richard Knee sent a Sept. 2 memo to the Board of Supervisors recommending “that the board and its committees demonstrate a commitment to both the letter and the spirit of sunshine by revising their policies in a way that will maximize allowance for public comment during their meetings."
This isn’t the first time that Daly’s behavior inspired Alioto-Pier to introduce legislation.
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