On becoming Mayor, Bookshop Santa Cruz VP Ryan Coonerty changed City Council rules to shorten Oral Communications speaking time, and severely limit any discussion of half the items on the agenda (so-called Consent Agenda items).

Councilmember (and Shadow Mayor) Mike Rotkin will be an in-studio guest on Bathrobespierre's Broadsides on Free Radio Santa Cruz broadcasting at 101.1 FM and streaming at http://www.freakradio.org from 10- to 11 AM on Sunday March 2nd. Questions can be e-mailed to me in advance at rnorse3 [at] hotmail.com, or phoned in at 831-427-3772 during the show.

For more background on the issue go to "Mayor Coonerty's New Rules Ban Public Comment on Half of City Council Afternoon Agenda" at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/02/26/18481893.php .

Further discussion, debate, and City Council sneakpeeks on this subject (mostly from me and councilwatcher Edward Davidson) can be found at: http://www.santacruzcopwatch.org/robert/brb080228.mp3 .

Legal researcher and citizen advocate Jhond Golder will be in the studio with Councilmember Rotkin, correcting errors and raising issues. Other critics are expected to call in.

The Rotkin Hour will be posted a day or two after it airs (Sunday March 2 10 AM 101.1 FM http://www.freakradio.org ) at http://www.santacruzcopwatch.org/robert/brb080302.mp3 .

Rotkin and Coonerty have yet to provide the documentation requested behind the rule change requiring Council members to agree before a open public comment on a consent agenda is allowed. The request was made of Coonerty a week ago. Rotkin promised to have the documents available over 10 days ago.

You may inquire directly of them "why the delay?" at 831-430-5020.