SAN FRANCISCO – With an 8-3 vote Tuesday, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors ended remote public comment at meetings of the board and its committees with some exceptions.
The rule change was initiated by board president Aaron Peskin last month after a stream of racist and anti-Semitic callers interrupted the supervisors' meeting Sept. 26. It was part of a wave of hate speech heard in public meetings around the region, as reported by the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism, which tracks such incidents.
Phone-in public comment was initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic as a remedy for continuing the work of government during the citywide lockdown. On Monday, Peskin brought the change through the board's rules committee, where it was approved unanimously by Supervisors Matt Dorsey, Shamann Walton and Ahsha Safai.
Seniors and people with disabilities can still use the phone-in comment option under the changes approved Tuesday.
The measure was opposed by Supervisors Dean Preston, Joel Engardio and Myrna Melgar, who asked that alternatives be used, such as a time delay from when the call is given to when it is broadcast.
"I hope that we can find a way to strike a balance," said Melgar. "The Board of Supervisors, we are arguably the most forward-facing public entity in the city and county of San Francisco."
Walton, who supported the rule change, reiterated that the rule change will not end public comment completely.
"I just really want to be clear that this will not have a negative effect on people with disabilities and will not have a negative effect on seniors," Walton said.
"It's not just about the racist and demonizing comments that people make when they call in, but for me, it's also about the fact that I don't want to represent people from Florida or Texas or their opinions here in the Board of Supervisors. And people have taken advantage of that through remote public comment."
Union City also decided to ban remote public comment due to concerns about hate speech. City officials said they will disable virtual public comments via Zoom in all governmental meetings effective next Tuesday.
The decision was made after "recent events where many neighboring jurisdictions and regional bodies have been subjected to racist and antisemitic rhetoric by anonymous callers," city officials said.
People can still give public comment in person and can send comments to the city clerk by emailing cityclerk@unioncity.org before the start of a meeting and including the agenda item number along with "Public Comment" in the subject line.
People can also still view public meetings remotely via Zoom, UCTV Channel 15 and at www.unioncity.org.
Similar decisions have been made by officials in Sonoma County, Concord, Walnut Creek and San Ramon.
San Francisco, Union City officials to restrict or ban remote public comments at meetings after racist remarks
/ CBS/Bay City News Service
SAN FRANCISCO – With an 8-3 vote Tuesday, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors ended remote public comment at meetings of the board and its committees with some exceptions.
The rule change was initiated by board president Aaron Peskin last month after a stream of racist and anti-Semitic callers interrupted the supervisors' meeting Sept. 26. It was part of a wave of hate speech heard in public meetings around the region, as reported by the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism, which tracks such incidents.
Phone-in public comment was initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic as a remedy for continuing the work of government during the citywide lockdown. On Monday, Peskin brought the change through the board's rules committee, where it was approved unanimously by Supervisors Matt Dorsey, Shamann Walton and Ahsha Safai.
Seniors and people with disabilities can still use the phone-in comment option under the changes approved Tuesday.
The measure was opposed by Supervisors Dean Preston, Joel Engardio and Myrna Melgar, who asked that alternatives be used, such as a time delay from when the call is given to when it is broadcast.
"I hope that we can find a way to strike a balance," said Melgar. "The Board of Supervisors, we are arguably the most forward-facing public entity in the city and county of San Francisco."
Walton, who supported the rule change, reiterated that the rule change will not end public comment completely.
"I just really want to be clear that this will not have a negative effect on people with disabilities and will not have a negative effect on seniors," Walton said.
"It's not just about the racist and demonizing comments that people make when they call in, but for me, it's also about the fact that I don't want to represent people from Florida or Texas or their opinions here in the Board of Supervisors. And people have taken advantage of that through remote public comment."
Union City also decided to ban remote public comment due to concerns about hate speech. City officials said they will disable virtual public comments via Zoom in all governmental meetings effective next Tuesday.
The decision was made after "recent events where many neighboring jurisdictions and regional bodies have been subjected to racist and antisemitic rhetoric by anonymous callers," city officials said.
People can still give public comment in person and can send comments to the city clerk by emailing cityclerk@unioncity.org before the start of a meeting and including the agenda item number along with "Public Comment" in the subject line.
People can also still view public meetings remotely via Zoom, UCTV Channel 15 and at www.unioncity.org.
Similar decisions have been made by officials in Sonoma County, Concord, Walnut Creek and San Ramon.
In:- Union City
- Anti-Defamation League
- Politics
- Antisemitism
- Racism
- San Francisco
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