City Council to Citizens: There Is Nothing New Under the Sun

God bless Richmond's City Council for demonstrating that you can name someone else to lead the horse to water, but it still won't drink.

Silver Persinger spent some time this week hanging out at City Hall, observing Council's discussion on the process to select and name a new council representative from the city's 7th District. Suffice it to say, transparency does not seem likely to be the coin of the realm in Kathy Graziano's council chambers.

Thankfully, Chris Hilbert seems to understand the way the world is beginning to operate:

"I find this whole process to be distasteful. No one in the 7th District elected any one of us. I find it particularly awkward to have to pick a representative for the residents of that district.... This process is going to be rife with potential pitfalls and pratfalls. And to the extent that it is closed we are going to invite that much more abuse to be heaped upon us. I would say that I rather this process to be open."

Unfortunately, he seems to be a single voice in the wilderness on this one, though apparently the 2nd District's new representative, Charles Samuels, is also naive and supports an open process.

Welcome to the new City Council. Same as the old.