Michael D. Benedetti (pieandcoffee.org) wants the city to offer multiple video formats of boards, committees and council meetings.
What for? If you got cable there’s Government TV – Channel 12 available to interested citizens. If ya got a computer, the city gives free video software. They even have a listing of meetings on video on the city's site. So where's the issue?
Consider this. With an average voter turnout of about 20% every election, it’s pretty clear voters don’t want anything to do with politicians or bureaucrats, so making multi-formatted videos of bureaucrats picking their noses or watching councilor's Rick's Tuesday night antics.
If you have the urge to watch the videos, you can download Microsoft Silverlight or Media Player for free on the city’s site and watch to your heart's content. Wouldn't advise it - potential brain damage. But I gotta ask, who the heck watches city government meetings anyways? I’ll bet even Mike Benedetti doesn’t watch them. My guess is that the videos are the least in demand service on the city's site. Bets anyone?
It’s not like there are thousands, or even a handful of folks demanding more video formats, it's really just one guy who comes up with a lamebrain idea to waste your tax dollars on something unnecessary. Suggest you think that through Mike Benedetti. Where's the research; prove that there is a need for multiple video formats. The fact is, there are more important issues out there than video formats. Right?
What strikes me as ironic, is having the culprits (the councilors) who make a point of manipulating the system to avoid being transparent, be involved in any decision. We're all for transparency, as long as it doesn't violate my right as councilor to privacy. Da - privacy in government? Geez, only in Wusta.
Folks the real issue isn’t video formats or records retention, it’s the hypocrisy of the system and the politicians who disregard, ignore or convolute procedures and processes in order to avoid transparency, i.e., councilors hiding behind closed doors making decisions that affect your lives. That has to change.
Ya want transparency, then demand that every time anyone in local government – board, commission, or council, makes a decision, require that it be put in writing and post it online. The point? Understand their rational, decision process, who said what. That's transparency.
Talk about transparency. Remember Joe O’Brien’s 2009 election campaign line. Read my lips: no increase in residential taxes. Even put it in writing. But he backtracked, voted to raise residential property taxes. I can't understand how he can justify making residential taxpayers pay for the ineptitude of local business owners.
In any case, that suggestion won’t stop that sort of nonsense, but at least you’ll understand the character of the man or woman who is making decisions that affect your life and wallet. Then vote your conscious.
Likelihood of that ever happening? Me becoming Mayor.
Welcome to Wusta!
