This week, Q-Line wants to know: “Do you think elected officials passing notes to each other creates a level of distrust with the public? Why or why not?” ■ “The City Council is in violation of the Brown Act. This City Council, and especially Feinstein, has a penchant for doing just what they please. If they want to pass notes, they should do it before or after the meeting, not in front of the public during an open meeting. This just shows their continued and flagrant ignoring of the state laws. I think if the process continues, the district attorney should prosecute those that are doing it, and I hope I would get selected for the jury. P.S. I hope this gets printed because the last three responses that I sent in to questions you have not been put in the paper. Thank you.” ■ “Well, that’s a no-brainer, of course it creates distrust. I think the City Council is just a bunch of morons anyway.” ■ “I think elected officials on their own create a level of distrust with the public.” ■ “In response to your question, my opinion is that the city officials have the right to pass notes, whisper, take a time out and do whatever they need to do in order to come to a decision, or whatever they need to do. And the public... I’m not interested in the process, but I’m very interested in the outcome. So to be telling them that they can’t look at each other and whisper, or pass notes, is absolutely ridiculous and looks like we’re in school. That’s my opinion.” ■ “Yes, I do believe it creates a distrust because if they have no respect for the Brown Act law which I believe prohibits this act, and even if whatever they’re writing is not detrimental, it’s still against the law. And they are representing us, and they’re elected officials,and they have to abide by the law. And they should not pass notes.” ■ “Look at me with a straight face and tell me that either Chuck Allord or Pro Se would have raised the issue of the notes if the majority on the council was conservative. Someone actually went to the council chambers late at night to retrieve torn pieces of paper to make a point? Am I the only one that thinks that these people desperately need a life?” ■ “Hi, thanks for your question regarding elected officials passing notes to one another. Number one, I think it does create an aura of distrust. Number two, I think it’s childish and juvenile. It’s supposed to be a public meeting, therefore I think everything should be out in public. Then I guess that means we can all sort of whisper to one another and they can do the same, and it can go on and on. The council is for the pits anyway, as far as I’m concerned, but that’s another argument. Thank you very much for your paper. We really do enjoy it, it’s great, I hope it expands. I enjoy all the articles in there. They’re the meat of Santa Monica, and I just wish you were a larger paper. Thank you so much.” ■ “The district attorney’s office is correct regarding the passing of notes. Why should the City Council pass notes, when the public does not know what they are doing. And half the time we don’t know what they’re doing anyway. This is the worst, lousiest City Council we’ve ever had, and I’ve been in Santa Monica over 50 years.” ■ “As children when we passed notes in school, we were reprimanded. The distrust of our government officials is present from big brother to little brother, as in our city. Although some of our servants have we citizens in their best interest, I believe the majority have their own best interest ahead of ours; i.e. they are constantly tempted with payoffs from all arenas of business, and money has a way of controlling their decisions. Thank you for letting we citizens of Santa Monica be heard. We appreciate your paper and the fact that you care about us. Thanks.” ■ “In answer to your question regarding the City Council passing notes to each other at council meetings, first off, it is insulting to the public standing before them. Second, it is very juvenile. Third, it is against the Brown Act. I remember in school if you were found passing notes you were sent to the coat room, and if you repeated it, you were sent to the principal’s office. Our council members should act like grown-ups and obey the Brown Act, and show respect to the Santa Monica citizens who appear before them. If they can’t do that, then they should resign. Thank you.” ■ “Passing notes is the kind of behavior to be expected of second grade kids, assuming they are able to read and write. As far as the Santa Monica City Council members are concerned, I am not particularly concerned about their passing notes, since they routinely do exactly what they please, and the public be damned. Passing notes is the least of our problems with the City Council members. Their attitude towards the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is yet another example of their juvenile behavior. The sooner Santa Monica voters dispose of that bunch of self-righteous twits, the better off the City of Santa Monica will be.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 13, 2002. Read the original PDF.