Council forgets for whom they work

For the second time in as many weeks the Auburn City Council voted on public matters in a manner that sharply limited public participation and input. City officials need to remember that while they are the “people's representatives,” in a representative democracy, decision making should be made with public input - not limiting it through speed.

Two weeks ago the city council, at a special meeting, voted to approve the city's 2006-2007 budget. Most thought that all they would be doing that night would be voting on amendments to the budget, not a final package. There was no reason to vote on the budget then; a regularly scheduled meeting was set two days later, still four days before the deadline to adopt a budget.

Criticism of that process clearly fell on deaf ears Thursday night, when the council, in a 3-2 vote agreed to move forward, in partnership with the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma with their plans to possibly build a casino in Auburn. Most believe that the only item related to this venture on the agenda that night was to hear what the plans where from Seneca-Cayuga Chief Paul Spicer, not a vote to move forward.