My Candidacy For Mayor

I read the following statement at the mayoral forum that was hosted by Neighborhood Council 3 on June 4:

As a citizen involved in local government for the past four years, I have become increasingly concerned about the lack of openness, transparency and accountability within our local government. OTAG is our constitutional right; not an option to be exercised at the whim of our leaders.

According to our city's organizational chart, the citizens are to come first. For the past several years, it's been the exact opposite. Citizens have been increasingly denied their right to speak at public meetings, get answers to their questions and obtain public documents.

It is time to put citizens back in charge of their government.

After reading that statement, I next suggested ways in which I would implement OTAG:

1. Meeting room for the Commission - If elected, I would suggest that citizens be giving access to their elected officials by having an office for the Commission at the Civic Center. Because this is not a full time position, Commissioners would have to determine what time they could be available during the week, if at all.

2. Rescind the five minute speaking ordinance - If elected, I would suggest doing away with the five minute time limit at public comment time at the City Commission meetings. This would not mean that citizens could talk without abandon. The mayor has the right to ask citizens to limit their comments to a reasonable amount of time.

3. Getting answers to questions - When citizens ask city related questions at City Commission meetings, they have a right to an answer. If elected, I would not circle the wagons around staff. They are public servants who work for the citizens, not the other way around. If a question could not be answered right away, because it might require additional research for example, then that question would be on the next meeting's agenda under "old business". Under my leadership, citizens would also not be told they have to put their questions in writing.

4. The right to public documents - The public has a right to ask for and obtain copies of public documents without being given the runaround. Citizens have the right to know and question what their government is doing.

(Please read this, if you wish to comment).