For whatever reason, this didn’t appear online. This story ran today:
Effort to bring back televised meetings fails in West Covina
By Jennifer McLain
Staff Writer
WEST COVINA — City Council members upheld their decision Tuesday to cut televised meetings as a means to save money.
Despite testimony from nearly 20 residents, including one who said the decision is a form of dictatorship, council members said that this was one of many cuts that had to be made to reduce a $7.9 million deficit.
“We are only doing this temporarily until we are in better times,” said Mayor Sherri Lane. “But there have been no new taxes, we are preserving public safety and there have been no cuts to senior citizen services.”
Residents presented the council a petition with nearly 1,000 signatures, collected since the broadcasts were pulled from TV and online in July. According to a staff report, cutting the broadcasts saves $180,000 annually.
On Tuesday, Councilman Roger Hernandez asked the council to consider reinstituting the broadcast of meetings.
“This merits a second look by the city council,” Hernandez said Tuesday. “We can’t break down the cornerstone of government.”
He said there are other positions and places in the city’s budget that can afford to be cut, such as the public information officer position held by Sue Williams, a legislative consultant contract and a newsletter.
Hernandez estimates that cutting those would result in a nearly $162,000 in savings.
But the other four council members disagreed, and said that budget cuts have impacted all departments, including fire and police, in the city.
“I understand that the broadcasts are important, but there are a lot of other things that are important, and we still have a $2 million deficit,” said Councilwoman Shelley Sanderson.
Most of the residents that spoke Tuesday asked the council to reconsider reinstating the broadcasts, and some residents suggested the council find alternative funding sources, such as through grants.
“The live broadcast of the City Council meetings is not a luxury. It is a necessity,” said West Covina resident Fred Sykes, one of nearly a dozen who collected signatures protesting the council’s decision.
But others said that this temporary cut is one that they understand in this tight economy.
“I think this is one area where I can afford to lose,” said West Covina resident Peter Davis.
West Covina has televised the meetings for nearly 20 years, and the addition of airing the meetings online has encouraged open government, residents said.
The decision to cut the broadcasts, some said, was a a step backward.
“To me it is a dictatorship, censorship and it’s not right,” said Azusa resident Mike Lee.
While council members said that they understood the frustration of residents, sacrifices need to be made during times of budget cuts.
“I didn’t want to see us close City Hall on Fridays, but we had to,” Councilman Mike Touhey said Monday. “You can’t please everyone.”
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