Public Input

My  thoughts ae organised for the post on the page in front of me.
When it's  finished, my thoughts continue.
Last night's discussion about ways and means of encouraging the public to participate in the budget process reminded me of my reaction when I returned to Council in 2003 after a fourteen year absence.
I wasn't impressed then and I'm not  now.
People will find their own way of letting a Councillor know what  they think they need to. 
The only people who have came to budget meetings were  individuals or groups  who wanted Council to include something  in the budget.
I didn't regard that as particularly useful when the task at hand was to keep  budget increase to a minimum and ensure services were maintained at a satisfactory level.
Besides, individuals may speak only for themselves
Councillors, on the other hand, each have authority to speak for 
several thousand people and combined , we are  accountable to all.
In the last several years I have not been able to support any budget 
because of what I considered to be sheer bloody extravagance  and no concern whatsoever for people who are experiencing hard times.
I have not noticed much attention at all to my objections to specific items in the budget. 
If they wont listen to me, elected by a considerable number, why are they so anxious to  hear from people who represent themselves alone.
Where's the logic? 
We may be streaming the process this year so that people can watch it on line. 
But of course, it will  be an add-on to the budget. 
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