The Board of Supervisors of Santa Clara County is looking for ways to increase public access to the inner workings of county government. At its weekly meeting on Tuesday, Supervisors will discuss enacting a new Sunshine Ordinance.
Several cities and towns in the county have already enacted Sunshine Ordinances of their own, including San Jose. The county intends to study these existing laws and assess their potential impact on county government. Among the suggestions already being posed by Board President Dave Cortese are the posting of reports online at least one week before they are presented to the Board and a reduction in the number of last-minute memos to Board members. Cortese would also like to see more video feeds of public hearings, so that they can be followed by concerned citizens who cannot make it to the sessions.
In related news, San Jose City Council has decided to hold eleven public meetings, starting on April 6, to get public input into the Mayor’s proposed budget. The meetings will be held at regular intervals until May 10. When announcing the meetings, Mayor Chuck Reed explained that he hoped to gain “the confidence that we’re reflecting the values and priorities of our community,” especially as difficult cuts are being made.
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