Witnessing Democracy: A Tale of Two Meetings

This week I had a front row seat into how democracy works.

Monday, as representative of the New Jersey League of Women Voters, I moderated a nearby town’s candidate’s forum for its Board of Education election in a few weeks.  I take advantage of  the opportunity to discuss the role of public education in our democracy.

There were six candidates, two incumbents among them, and the forum was held over Zoom. The organizers, the town’s Parent Teacher Council, have found that zoom forums increase attendance and voter participation. I’ve moderated this forum for several years. The organizers send me the questions which I edit for clarity and to avoid repetition. There is neither direct audience participation nor rebuttals between candidates. The suburban community faces some serious issues: deteriorating playgrounds, lack of full day kindergarten, lack of before and after school care, meeting demands of state mandated curriculum, and so on.

The meeting moved along seamlessly without any visible issues though some residents made comments in the zoom chat about various topics.  

Last night, I attended the Summit (NJ) City Council meeting. My husband had been asked to speak by the President of the Summit Municipal Democrats about a recent statement made by Lisa Allen, the president of the City Council.

In her remarks  https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/summit-democratic-chair-cotter-summits-council-president-affordable-housing-increases-crime/about affordable housing before the New Jersey Senate Appropriations  and Budget hearing in Trenton last week, she said: “There will be no escaping the noise, the pollution, the cars, the expanding schools and the expanding crime that has seeped into our communities.”

Her comments drew immediate condemnation from several legislators and an editorial writer for the Star-Ledger. https://www.nj.com/opinion/2024/03/housing-crisis-points-to-the-dark-side-of-home-rule-moran.html

For the public comments section of the meeting, residents line up behind the podium to wait for their turn to speak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8I3YE1lnXU

 The topics people discuss vary. Last night’s comments covered concerns about a proposed lighting plan for one of the athletic fields. Many others addressed affordable housing and joined in the criticism of Allen.

The first person addressed the affordable housing issue, calling Allen’s comments an “embarrassment” for the city. The next person spoke about the lighting. Then my husband read his statement about housing, prefacing his remarks about why we moved to this diverse community known for its excellent schools. He mentioned our daughter’s post-high school success and then brought the attention to the issue at hand.  Within a few seconds, he was heckled by council and audience members and then cut off for exceeding the allotted three minutes. However, in watching the video from the meeting, it seems the council only cut short the time when people were critical of their behavior, allowing those that praised their actions to run over the time limit.

A former mayor reminded the council members that they represent every citizen in the city, not just those that voted for them. She urged them to watch their words when they speak in public. Their words reflect upon the entire population, not just those who support them.

The atmosphere was hostile and depressing. Civil discourse was uncivil; elected officials rude to a taxpayer. (and others who spoke on this same topic.)

While the two meetings were very different, the comparison is stark. I’m reminded about President Biden’s State of the Union when he said: “You can’t love your country when you win.”

It was obvious how partisan the city council has become.

If you want to see democracy in action, attend some meetings. There are plenty. Board of Education, Planning & Zoning, City Council. Sure, you may sit there a few hours but you’ll witness how government works, who’s playing fair and who is not. Then decide who to vote for.

Be an educated voter and vote like you live in your town.