SAN DIEGO (KGTV/CNS) - The San Diego City Council's Rules Committee planned to consider ending virtual public comment for future council meetings on Wednesday, but the meeting moved along slowly. In an ironic twist in part due to a large amount of public comment, Council President Sean Elo-Rivera pushed the item to September.
The council is on recess in August.
At the committee's 2 p.m. meeting, dozens came to speak out against the agenda item pushed by Elo-Rivera. It would have removed the public commenting option through phone calls or internet streaming services.
The council has allowed virtual comments for several years, first during the coronavirus pandemic, when restrictions did not allow members of the public to attend meetings.
Elo-Rivera wrote that the change was intended to ensure "San Diegans can be confident business is done with the pace and efficiency they deserve," and that the "City Council will continue to value and uphold all requirements for open and public meetings ensuring access for all constituents."
But others see a lack of fairness in the proposed change. The City Council meets during the work day, which allows some people the ability to attend more than others.
"The system has always been set up to prevent the people from participating in the government public process," Candice Moreno wrote in a public statement. "Public meetings are often during the hours of the day that most community members cannot participate. As a result, only white retirees, employees who get paid to go to public meetings, and lobbyists can participate in policy making.
"Youth, working class members, BIPOC community members are often left out of the policy that have an impact on their lives," she added.
San Diegans will still be able to submit written comments to the city clerk and email council members individually, but others say this is not enough.
"This kind of policy is a breach of public trust, an attempt to silence democracy and is a threat to civic engagement," political activist Shane Harris said. "The rules committee should absolutely say no to this idea."
ABC 10News attended a Wednesday morning press conference Harris hosted. He pushed back on the idea that the virtual public comments are a hotbed for hate speech, saying most comments come from concerned residents looking for input on the issues.
If the committee -- composed of Elo-Rivera and council members Joe LaCava, Kent Lee, Raul Campillo and Vivian Moreno -- passes the item, it would still need to be taken up and approved by the full council.
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