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District 5 - Caity Maple

Blog - Order in the Chambers

District 5 - Caity Maple

Blog - Order in the Chambers

Order in the Chambers

In the year since I was elected to the City Council, our meetings have been shut down more times than I can count. Most of the time, this happens when just a few people decide to repeatedly shout expletives or threats from the audience, impeding others’ ability to speak and be heard.

I have constituents who have shared with me that they don’t feel safe coming to Council meetings anymore — they have been yelled at, harassed, and even had their addresses posted publicly online — all for having the audacity to have a different opinion.

To be candid, I don’t always feel safe in our chambers.

Our responsibility as an elected body, first and foremost, is to conduct the city’s business on behalf of the people. We have not been able to do this effectively since it has become the norm to disrupt, yell, and bully others in the Council Chambers.

This is not just a Sacramento problem, but one that has been happening in cities all over the country. Just a quick search will show you recent examples in Fresno, Denver, Seattle, Evanston, and many more.

When the rules are followed, this allows more voices to be heard. This is the foundation of our representative democracy and of respect for our neighbors.

As a community, we must practice the ability to listen – especially when we disagree.

We will be consistently holding any members of the public who break the rules accountable. This will include verbal warnings and clearing the Chambers, if necessary.

It is imperative that we maintain order to ensure that this is a space for everyone to feel safe and welcome to make their voices heard, not just those who yell the loudest.

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