The following has been written and sent to the Putnam County Legislature regarding tonight’s Special Full Legislature Meeting regarding the Sales Tax debate, and the lack of Public Speaking being allowed.
Full Letter
To the Members of the Putnam County Legislature,
As someone who has used public comment time to raise critical issues, including on the topic of local funding and fiscal transparency, I was surprised to see that tonight’s Special Full Legislative Meeting does not include any opportunity for public comment. Even more concerning, this omission appears consistent across other currently posted agendas as well.
This is exactly why I’ve previously called on this body to codify public comment and live-streaming policies because access, transparency, and participation should never be optional. I am pleased to see those policies gaining positive momentum with this body. That’s because they must be guaranteed; for the people. That’s not just a guiding principle. It’s a baseline requirement of accountable governance.
Let me be clear: this isn’t about my voice. I’ve made my positions publicly well known before this body, most recently on April 1, 2025, and will continue to do so, particularly when it comes to the ongoing conversation about how sales tax revenues are handled, how surplus funds are allocated, and how this Legislature and the County Executive’s administration choose to support our towns through redistribution of those resources.
These are not technicalities or budget footnotes. These are real-world decisions that shape what services our communities receive, how they’re funded, and whether tax payers are empowered or sidelined. And those decisions cannot and should not be made in isolation. They demand transparency, accountability, and above all, collaboration with the people those policies affect.
Silencing public comment; especially on issues that materially impact the lives of residents, sends a clear message: that the public is expected to watch, but not participate. That is not a message any of us want to send to our constituents.
I’ve been proud to stand with Republicans, Conservatives, and Democrats alike in putting people before politics. We may not always agree on every issue, but we should all agree that a government unwilling to listen to its people indicates it is unwilling to lead them. You don’t build trust by shutting doors. You don’t build progress by ignoring input. If you want real solutions, you don’t just work for the people; you work with them.
This letter is not about one meeting or one voice. It is a public reminder of your duty, not just to represent, but to engage. Not just to decide, but to justify. Open government is not a courtesy. It is a contract, and that contract begins and ends with the people. I look forward to continuing this conversation with each of you in order to continue taking steps to make codified public speaking a reality.
Respectfully,
Brett Yarris
For The People
yarrisforus.com
