Tonight, citizens of the City of Madison have an opportunity to give us comments on the 28 Capital Budget and 45 Operating Budget amendments to the Mayor’s nearly $240M Operating Budget and $152M Capital Budget. But will they have 5 minutes or a total of 10 minutes. Here’s how the argument unfolds:
COUNCIL OFFICE SENDS OUT EMAIL (1:15 Yesterday)
Alders,
I wanted to let you know that I spoke with Mayor Cieslewicz about public testimony tomorrow night.
He has indicated that each individual that registers tomorrow night will be given 5 minutes to speak on the 2009 City Budget.
Feel free to pass this information along to your constituents. Thank you.
Lisa Veldran, Administrative Assistant
Madison Common Council Office
CLERK SEEKS CLARIFICATION
While I believe it is a great idea to get the meeting over as quickly & smoothly as possible, I have already made copies of the registration forms that we have used in the past (one for capital & one for operating & the early registration form per MGO Section 2.04). Now, the day before the meeting, a new form has to be created, copies have to be thrown out, new copies made & the agenda that was published makes no mention of any different speaking rules (the normal speaking rules are listed on page 1 of the agenda):
Speaking Limits:
Public Hearing – 5 Minutes, Information Hearing – 5 Minutes, Other Items – 3 minutes.
This is extremely frustrating, because this should have been decided on & conveyed to everybody long before the day before the meeting.
BRENDA OBJECTS
Tammy – don’t throw your copies away. I don’t believe the Mayor has the ability to unilaterally make this decision. Even if he did, the council could over-rule him. Given the number of amendment, people should get at least 5 minutes on each budget if not for each amendment.
Brenda
PHONE CONFERENCE ENSUES, CITY ATTORNEY CLARIFIES
Unless the Council suspends the rules, persons have the right to speak for 5 minutes on the Operating Budget and 5 minutes on the Capital Budget.
MAYOR JUSTIFIES AND TRIES TO DO WHAT HE WANTS ANYWAYS
Let’s all take a deep breath here and let me clarify some of these issues after talking to the Mayor and City Attorney.
City ordinances require 5 minutes of testimony on each agenda item, which would allow for 5 minutes each on the capital and operating budgets. A vote to suspend the rules would be necessary to change the time allowed. I don’t think any of us wants to spend the first night of budget debate arguing over the process for testimony, so the Mayor does not support suspending the rules.
After conferring with Council Leadership and reviewing the number of registrations, the Mayor may ask speakers to voluntarily limit their testimony on both the Capital and Operating budgets to a total of 5 minutes so that the greatest number of people get to provide input on the budget. Last year, many speakers left as the night wore on giving some members of the public 10 minutes to speak and some citizens no time at all.
In any event, the existing forms can be used. So we can all rest assured that Tammy won’t have to make additional copies of anything!
Call if you have questions.
Janet L. Piraino
Chief of Staff
Office of Mayor Dave Cieslewicz
So, feel free to take 5 minutes on each of the budgets, but be prepared for pressure not to!!! And alders who aren’t paying attention!!!
