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City Council shouldn’t stifle debate

Charlottesville’s new policy distances citizens from their government

After recently revising its public comment policy, the Charlottesville City Council is under fire for changes critics say will suppress the free and open exchange of ideas. Because of the new policy, speakers must now sign up in advance before Council meetings. If more than 12 people sign up, there is now a lottery system in place to determine who gets a chance to speak. If Charlottesville citizens fail to meet the City Council guidelines (which include prohibitions on interrupting other speakers, profanity and campaigning for office, among other restrictions), it is official policy to escort them out. For no clear reason, the Council is implementing unfair restrictions on its citizens at these meetings.

Of particular concern is how these changes might disproportionately affect Charlottesville’s lowest-income citizens. While more educated and well-connected residents might have newspaper subscriptions and access to information about the recent changes, people with lower socioeconomic status — who may have to take time off work to come to even attend Council meetings — risk having their opinions slip by the legislators who most directly shape their lives.

Charlottesville’s already precarious homeless population, which lacks easy Internet access, is further hurt by policies that make it more difficult for them to share their stories. Cut off from most established political channels, showing up to meetings is the easiest way for them to make policymakers aware of the challenges their community faces. Even for many of those still with homes, affordable housing in Charlottesville is approaching a crisis situation, and City Council members should have every opportunity to hear directly from those by hurt by current policy.

Beyond how the changes affect any one group, limiting public comment sends the wrong signal to community members about what their local government values. Public meetings can no doubt be tedious, but signing up for a position in public service should entail a real commitment to listening to citizens’ concerns. These policy changes have by no means completely insulated the Charlottesville City Council from the concerns of the people, but they are nonetheless an unwelcome change.

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