Did you hear about the latest attempt by your favorite City Council to stifle any voice of dissent?
City Council passed a new code of conduct Monday that includes discouraging city representatives from voicing personal opinions or statements contrary to established city positions.
The code also cautions representatives when talking to the media and reinforces the mayor’s position as “the designated representative of the Council to present and speak on the official city position.” It covers elected officials’ conduct with city staff, each other, the public and boards and committees.
In the section “Elected officials conduct with other public agencies,” the code reads, “If the official is representing the City, the official must support and advocate the official City position on an issue, not a personal viewpoint.”
Say what? My way or the highway?
And who in their right mind would vote to have Mayor Margo be their mouthpiece? Really? Mr. Margo and the truth live on opposite sides of the street. If you’re going to let Mayor Margo talk for you, you might as well admit that you just gave up.
But maybe that’s the point. I gotta think that the Representatives that supported this are only phoning in their work. Or they’re complete sellouts. Why would any Representative vote to stifle their own ability to speak their minds? Obviously because they’re A: Complete sellouts to group think, or B: Huh? What? There’s doughnuts in Executive Session, right?
In the recent past, El Paso has had some really lousy City Representatives. People who yielded control of City Government to the past City Manager. I’d call them out by name, but we’re friendly, me and them. You know who they are.
(Confidentially, Imma call them out by name later. Maybe we should even get them some Wikipedia pages. Who’s in?)
The whole point of this latest move is to eliminate any voices of reason that might offer a refreshing respite to the idiocracy that dominates City Council’s decision-making.
Also, it restricts any Representative’s opportunity to challenge the Mayor in future elections. How can a prospective candidate challenge the Mayor’s aptitude when they have to agree with what the mayor says?
It’s a banana republic. You only live here.
Wow. City Council accepted that so that they can say they are not to blame for choices that the Mayors handlers make. Bunch of Cowards!
Bahhh, bahhh. All together now.
Many years ago I worked for a local entity that was known as the El Paso City County Health Department. It no longer exists. During the time that I worked there it was policy, and I understand why, that employees should never address any issue in public unless it had been approved or put forth by the Department’s spokesperson. Yes, I could appear on the local news, performing my duties (I was a Public Health Nurse), and commenting on public health issues as they pertained to my job. At the same time, I was aware that we elected certain people to represent us to both City Council and to County Commissioners’ Court. I always understood that those representatives could and should freely speak their minds on any and all topics related to their jobs as representatives. How in the world can they truly represent us if they are forced to espouse the views of only one of their number? Especially in a City which moved away from a strong Mayoral form of government, to a City Manager form of local government? This positively wreaks havoc among the citizenry while positively reeking of rottenness.
Which city reps voted to pass it? Which voted against it?
Representatives Annello and Svarzbein voted against it. Representatives Morgan, Ordaz Perez, Rivera, and Salcido voted for it. Representatives Hernandez and Lizarraga were absent.