Editorial: Saying Too Little—And Too Much
October 15th, 2007
Part of being an elected official is being open and transparent. Part of being a responsible elected official is having a sense of what to talk about, and when.
Sometimes Mayor Michael Bloomberg needs to be reminded about the value of transparency, as when he took off to France and England in September and initially declined to say whom he was leaving in charge of the city. With First Deputy Mayor Patricia Harris going along for the trip, the chain of command they left behind them in New York City was far from apparent, and, at first, Bloomberg made no attempt to make it clear.
Though the mayor is absolutely right to point out that were something to happen, no ocean he crossed would be too wide for a cell phone signal to bridge, he seemed all too sure that he will be available on the other end of the phone to give directions. But in this day and age, we can imagine how there might simultaneously be a crisis in New York which needed his attention and one in London which prevented him from being able to get on the phone and give that attention.
But while often frustrating and occasionally disheartening, the mayor’s reticence can be a refreshing contrast to the many government officials who feel the need to make statements on anything and everything.
Few New Yorkers are fans of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and a significant number of them were disquieted by the platform Columbia University gave him to speak. There are not many New Yorkers who support the apparently tilted justice that led to the jailing of six teenagers in Jena, La. But does that mean that local elected officials should be sharing their thoughts about either of these topics? Or worse, should employees receiving government salaries send out such statements using government computers to email lists compiled on government time?
Probably not.
We look to our local elected officials to stay focused on the ample issues facing local government. Speaking engagements at a private university and the penal system in small town Louisiana do not have anything to do with the responsibilities of the City Council, Assembly or State Senate. Every minute that elected officials devote to considering issues beyond their jurisdiction is a minute they are not spending trying to work out solutions to the city’s still troubled schools or the five borough affordable housing crisis or the basics of repaving potholes.
Elected officials certainly have the right to opinions about things that fall beyond the scope of their job portfolios. But when they take advantage of the added attention their titles bring and use staffs and resources funded by taxpayers to promote these views, they have wasted time and money and abused the public trust. Plus, these publicity grabs distract the rightful attention from the many elected officials doing commendable and substantive work at the local level.
Those in the state government are rightfully rethinking the appropriate use of government aircraft. While they are at it, New York’s elected officials at every level should reevaluate their use of government airtime, too.
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Letters to the Editor:
We welcome letters to the editor.
All letters must be identified with the author’s full name and, for verification, phone number. Anonymous letters will not be published.
Substantive letters addressing politics and policy will receive top priority.
Submit your letters by email to cityhall@manhattanmedia.com, or contact our staff writers directly with the email addresses at the ends of their articles.
Sometimes Mayor Michael Bloomberg needs to be reminded about the value of transparency, as when he took off to France and England in September and initially declined to say whom he was leaving in charge of the city. With First Deputy Mayor Patricia Harris going along for the trip, the chain of command they left behind them in New York City was far from apparent, and, at first, Bloomberg made no attempt to make it clear.
Though the mayor is absolutely right to point out that were something to happen, no ocean he crossed would be too wide for a cell phone signal to bridge, he seemed all too sure that he will be available on the other end of the phone to give directions. But in this day and age, we can imagine how there might simultaneously be a crisis in New York which needed his attention and one in London which prevented him from being able to get on the phone and give that attention.
But while often frustrating and occasionally disheartening, the mayor’s reticence can be a refreshing contrast to the many government officials who feel the need to make statements on anything and everything.
Few New Yorkers are fans of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and a significant number of them were disquieted by the platform Columbia University gave him to speak. There are not many New Yorkers who support the apparently tilted justice that led to the jailing of six teenagers in Jena, La. But does that mean that local elected officials should be sharing their thoughts about either of these topics? Or worse, should employees receiving government salaries send out such statements using government computers to email lists compiled on government time?
Probably not.
We look to our local elected officials to stay focused on the ample issues facing local government. Speaking engagements at a private university and the penal system in small town Louisiana do not have anything to do with the responsibilities of the City Council, Assembly or State Senate. Every minute that elected officials devote to considering issues beyond their jurisdiction is a minute they are not spending trying to work out solutions to the city’s still troubled schools or the five borough affordable housing crisis or the basics of repaving potholes.
Elected officials certainly have the right to opinions about things that fall beyond the scope of their job portfolios. But when they take advantage of the added attention their titles bring and use staffs and resources funded by taxpayers to promote these views, they have wasted time and money and abused the public trust. Plus, these publicity grabs distract the rightful attention from the many elected officials doing commendable and substantive work at the local level.
Those in the state government are rightfully rethinking the appropriate use of government aircraft. While they are at it, New York’s elected officials at every level should reevaluate their use of government airtime, too.
***** ***** *****
Letters to the Editor:
We welcome letters to the editor.
All letters must be identified with the author’s full name and, for verification, phone number. Anonymous letters will not be published.
Substantive letters addressing politics and policy will receive top priority.
Submit your letters by email to cityhall@manhattanmedia.com, or contact our staff writers directly with the email addresses at the ends of their articles.
