Regarding the issue of whether or not our joint power
authorities like Santa Clara County’s Valley Transportation
Authority and San Benito County’s Council of Governments, etc., in
California must comply with the requirement in our law to conduct
the people’s business openly, in public.
Dear Editor,
Regarding the issue of whether or not our joint power authorities like Santa Clara County’s Valley Transportation Authority and San Benito County’s Council of Governments, etc., in California must comply with the requirement in our law to conduct the people’s business openly, in public.
It is the opinion of our Attorney General’s Office that VTA, COG, etc., all joint power authorities, “must” comply with our law. No exceptions, even though their Board members are appointed, not elected. In the taxpayers’ current litigation with COG, county counsel has agreed that they will correct their ways and comply with the Brown Act.
Since the taxpayers served their lawsuit, VTA-COG have started conducting their joint, and previously secret meetings, in public (alternating between Gilroy and Hollister).
Question is: Why does it take a lawsuit by the taxpayers to get the joint power authorities to obey basic government law?
Joseph P. Thompson, Tres Pinos
