The San Diego City Council's Rules Committee on Wednesday will consider ending virtual public comment for future council meetings.
At the committee's 2 p.m. meeting, dozens are likely to protest the agenda item pushed by Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, which would remove the public commenting option through phone calls or internet streaming services.
The council has allowed virtual comments for several years, first during the coronavirus pandemic, when restrictions did not allow members of the public to attend meetings.
Elo-Rivera wrote that the change was intended to ensure "San Diegans can be confident business is done with the pace and efficiency they deserve," and that the "City Council will continue to value and uphold all requirements for open and public meetings ensuring access for all constituents."
But others see a lack of fairness in the proposed change. The City Council meets during the work day, which allows some people the ability to attend more than others.
"The system has always been set up to prevent the people from participating in the government public process," Candice Moreno wrote in a public statement. "Public meetings are often during the hours of the day that most community members cannot participate. As a result, only white retirees, employees who get paid to go to public meetings, and lobbyists can participate in policy making.
"Youth, working class members, BIPOC community members are often left out of the policy that have an impact on their lives," she added.
San Diegans will still be able to submit written comments to the city clerk and email council members individually, but others say this is not enough.
"This kind of policy is a breach of public trust, an attempt to silence democracy and is a threat to civic engagement," political activist Shane Harris said. "The rules committee should absolutely say no to this idea."
If the committee — composed of Elo-Rivera and council members Joe LaCava, Kent Lee, Raul Campillo and Vivian Moreno — passes the item, it would still need to be taken up and approved by the full council.
