EP Code of Conduct is Bad Policy

The passing of city council's so-called Code of Conduct agenda item is the kind of policy that gets on people's nerves.

It represents arrogance in governance and is the perfect example of what a mistake it is to have a body try to correct the short-term behavior of some bad actors on council through long-term policy changes.

Policy changes that the Mayor Margo himself has shown an unwillingness to adhere to, so at the end of the day, what is the point?

My biggest beef with the code of conduct they passed is the attempt to muzzle members of council. Most school districts also have a dumbass policy like this.

Basically the Mayor wants to be the spokesperson for council and no one else should speak - which is utter bullshit. The members of council are each individually elected officials, accountable only to their electorate.

They don't answer to the mayor.

In fact, this type of policy is EXACTLY the reason we should NEVER go back to a strong-mayor form of government. If Margo in a weak mayor form of government is pulling this kind of crap, can you imagine what someone in a strong mayor form of government would be trying to get away with?

Anywho, back to my point. This policy basically attempts, and I say attempts because there's NO WAY this is actually enforceable, to muzzle members of council with dissenting opinions. I think that is not only an affront to democratic principles, I also think its strategically stupid.

But mostly, I'm outraged at the arrogance behind it. Your city rep is elected to represent you on council, not to toe the line of whatever the mayor wants. If your city rep that you elected has a dissenting opinion on an issue, then they have an OBLIGATION to fight on your behalf.

That is literally their only function.

Typically this type of policy is done at the school board level for one of two reasons - one to give cover to trustees that want to avoid media when questioned on policy or votes, or two - to shut up trustees that go off and say stupid shit. If you recall, this was a policy Dori Fenenbock tried to enact when she was at EPISD.

It is a bad policy under any intent or circumstance. No member of council should be prevented from speaking on an issue. They don't represent the City of El Paso, they represent their District.

I'm pretty sure that underneath it all this was a policy that was probably meant to real in two city reps that like to leak things to the media when it suits them and then turn around and lie about it when they are questioned about it.

But the way to fix that isn't this ridiculous code of conduct. That is as ridiculous as all our Democratic members of the legislature bragging about passing HB 2 and 3.

Come re-election time, this is exactly the type of vote that constituents should keep in mind about Margo.