Miami is being silenced by commissioners

City of Miami commissioners voted unanimously to cap individual remarks during meetings’ public comment period by limiting the amount of time community members can donate to a fellow speaker.

Previously, any number of attendees could donate their two minutes of prescribed speaking time to someone else, but now a speaker can only receive up to three minutes of donated time.

So if an organized group attending a meeting wants to maximize the public comment period, everyone in attendance needs to speak instead of having one person speak on everyone’s behalf.

Commissioner Joe Carollo, who sponsored the item, and Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla sought even tighter restrictions, but Chairwoman Christine King and Commissioner Manolo Reyes’ opposition talked them into the five-minute max (prescribed two + a donated three) as a compromise.

​A super-majority of the commission can grant an additional two minutes of time to a speaker if they deem it necessary. (Miami New Times)