[Vision2020] Anti Discrimination Ordinance

[Wayne Price]

Now that the precedent has been set for excluding public comments before legislation is passed, let me give you a "possible" future scenario, that I'm sure  a lot on this list will object to.

Lets say in the next election, there is a turn over of mayor and those members of city council that have to face the voters. And the "new" city council is very, very pro 2nd Amendment, and there is 
legislation put before them that requires firearms ownership (several cities already have). Now, since the precedent has been set, why would we need ANY public testimony before city council
passed it into law? Are the voters going to say the same thing? It was a "no brainer",  it went before "commissions and committees", so why drag it out further? 

This particular legislation has a history that is tainted by the process that was used, and will always be looked upon as "tainted". This is extremely important since this particular legislation has criminal penalties attached to it. 

Wayne





On Apr 2, 2013, at 9:46 AM, Henry D. Hank Johnston wrote:

> Wow, there is just no making anyone happy on this one is there?
> 
> The council voted 6-0 in favor of this ordinance (and if you ask the mayor it was all my fault, which it wasn't).  It was going to pass that way with our without a parade of speeches that would be no more than political posturing from both sides.  I can tell you exactly how this would have gone down had there been testimony - there would have been a ton in favor, Judd Wilson and Gresham Bouma would have preached about the sin of homosexuality - and the council would have passed it anyway at 1am.
> 
> I applaud the council for making the statement that this was an important ordinance - a "no brainer" if you will, and it wasn't necessary to discuss it further.  After all, we've been discussing it for MONTHS in commissions and committees.  So why drag it out further? 
> 
> Go, Dan, Go!
> 
> All my best,
> Henry
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