Listening to Those Who Cast the Votes
The City Council of Diamond Bar apparently believes that the democratic process ends with election to office.
The open meeting laws of California invite citizens to monitor the council and to provide a forum for citizens’ concerns. Diamond Bar’s council sees the arrival of a hundred people at a council meeting as a plot to disrupt a meeting, rather than citizens participating in a democracy. Isn’t that what America is about?
This council, instead of listening to the concerns of its citizens, spends thousands of dollars to thwart a legal referendum and then uses our sheriff’s deputies to embarrass people who are trying to express their views in a legitimate forum--a public City Council meeting.
I hope people who believe in the democratic process will remember which council members cut off public discussion of an unpopular property maintenance ordinance when election time comes around in November. Let’s also remind the City Council and new candidates we want to be heard even after the elections.
KATHY WANG
Diamond Bar
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