Reader comments
Budget talks inaudible in West Jordan

These Work Sessions by city councils, to my understanding of them, are intended for the council to discuss and disclose ideas among themselves and not a voting session. Usually this is considered an open meeting for citizens to attend as guests, and many times they will courtesly take citizen inputs. City councils need to have work sessions to discuss proposed laws and budgets in their duties of representation. This budget has to be approved in a open public meeting where citizens can have input. Perhaps there should be a public meeting for citizens inputs before they have the work session with all inputs available to them then have another open voting public meeting. It may mean an extra meeting but it would make for better decissions from City Councils after citizen input. The present method gives citizens and council members very little time to consider citizen input before voting on any laws or changes. A voting session or meeting should be held after citizens have had an opportunity to voice their opinions and inputs to city councils, not on the same day of the vote.

Under Utah's Open Meetings Act, the city council's deliberations (not just their votes) are required to be open and public. I hope the media sue the city for this flagrant violation of the law.

One issue is the timeing the budget is presented to the council, and the lack of time citizens have to make comments prior to the council making any vote or decision. It should be noted that, though this was a "work session," motions were made and voted on by the members of the council - as in the COLA proposals and the need to raise taxes.

The concensus of those attending the meeting is that city employees were alerted, erroneously, that proposals were going to be made by the citizens' committee to cut staff and/or salaries and pressure was brought to bear on the council to vote for the COLA and step increases. Certain council members indicated they had made promises to the staff and needed to keep their word. The need to represent and protect the needs of their constituents took a back seat to staff wants. Thus, the idea of raising taxes which seems to always be the government's solution.

Hey, sunshine, sue them for what? The meeting was open. People attended. The materials and discussion points are all available to the public. No voting took place. There is still plenty of opportunity for questions and input.

The entitlement mentality that government must do everything for you -- including make sure you hear every word with crystal clarity -- is getting a bit ridiculous!