ACLU: Assembly Cannot End Testimony
Jeffrey Mittman, Executive Director of the ACLU of Alaska Foundation submitted a letter to Ernie Hall, Chairman of the Anchorage Assembly on Friday. Mittman cites the Municipal Charter, Assembly Practice, and the rights inherent in public fora to state that any Anchorage citizens still waiting to testify on Ordinance 37 at the end of Monday’s meeting, must have the right to do so, and the Assembly must schedule another meeting for further public testimony.
Hall had stated that testimony would be cut off at 11:00pm on Monday, regardless of whether citizens remained in line wishing to testify. Earlier in the hearing process Hall had stated that after a while, people begin to repeat themselves, and are just saying the same thing.
The letter in its entirety is below.
, I have listened to the hearings over the computer and in person; I respectfully submit that all possible arguments against proposed AO 2013-37 have been presented by the union members who have already spoken before the assembly.
“Earlier in the hearing process Hall had stated that after a while, people begin to repeat themselves, and are just saying the same thing.”
In a democracy, this is called voting.
Danny
Ernie Hall wants to do the right thing. He also wants to do what the Mayor asks him to do. He is torn. Which way will he go? He has already started to be swayed by public pressure. Keep the pressure on (with reasonable politeness) and I predict he will left everyone testify. Ultimately, this bill will probably pass. But if we keep testifying until after they certify the election, there may be different players in the mix.
If Ernie Hall wanted to do the right thing he wouldn’t have agreed to introduce this stupid bill in the first place.
I heard testimony after testimony of the hard and dangerous work people do, that they do it with pride and dedication, that they build efficiencies into their workplaces, that they have already conceded on pay and benefits, that privatizing (as testified by a former federal contractor from Elmendorf) results in higher costs (after short term savings) and less efficient work (as, “It’s not in my contract to do that…), that MLP not only pays for itself and its workers, it actually MAKES money for the city. I heard about the city inspector who will lose 25 to 50% of it’s inspectors, although 30% of the city revenue comes from new construction. Not enough inspectors will result in many delays. I heard about the highly trained personnel, many qualified way above their jobs.
If I were an assembyman supporting 37, I would be crawling under the desk in shame. These workers keep the city running smoothly, efficiently, and the mayor is stabbing them in the back.
Key workers have already been offered jobs outside of Alaska. The mayor will end up paying more for less in the long run.
Perhaps he should cut off his corporate doners from giving anymore cash… After a while, those dollars start repeating themselves and looking the same.