Political Speech Ban at Council Challenged

Mayor Michael Markey’s policy forbidding “political speech” by the public at City Council meetings will face its first test when the council reconvenes tonight for the first meeting since the mayor instituted the controversial policy.

City Councilwoman Elois Zeanah has said she will challenge Markey’s Sept. 8 announcement that he will no longer allow council candidates to make campaign statements during the council’s public-comment period. The mayor also said he will prevent members of the public from addressing the council about the upcoming election.

Markey said he had the support of Ventura County Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury, who told the mayor he could quiet a candidate who is promoting his candidacy. One council hopeful, however, has already filed a complaint with the prosecutor’s office and several others have threatened to sue if the ban is not repealed.

Some of the mayor’s political opponents have criticized the policy, while incumbents Andy Fox and Judy Lazar, widely seen as Markey’s allies on the five-member council, have expressed support mixed with reservation about how the policy was enforced. Fox and Lazar, because they sit on the council, are the only candidates not affected by the limitation.

The council meets at 6 p.m. at the Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd.