In an attempt to shine the fresh light of cyberspace on City Hall–where the wheels of government sometimes turn with little public scrutiny–City Clerk Jim Laski on Monday unveiled a new home page accessible to anyone with a computer and a modem.
Laski, the official keeper of city records, said that information ranging from City Council vote tallies to membership rosters of council committees will be available with a few clicks of the mouse.
The new page, now in operation at www.chicityclerk.com, will “shed more light on the often murky business of the City Council,” Laski asserted. “Beginning with the April 29 (council) meeting, divided roll-call votes will be posted. That means that whenever there is an issue that isn’t passed unanimously, we will summarize this ordinance or issue and display each alderman’s vote.”
In the past, such a posting would have detailed who opposed and who supported such hotly-debated ordinances as one that tightened aldermanic ethics requirements and another that provided health insurance benefits to the partners of gay city employees.
Currently, citizens have to consult the council’s Journal of Proceedings, a thick and ponderous printed volume of each meeting, to track down vote tallies and other information.
Laski also wants to post detailed agendas of council and council committee meetings at least 24 hours in advance so the public will be aware of pending legislation. To do so, however, he acknowledged he will need the cooperation of committee chairmen and Mayor Richard Daley.
Laski said he has talked with about eight committee heads who said they are willing to discuss the matter. If he fails to get the needed cooperation, the clerk said he might introduce an ordinance mandating advance electronic posting.
And if his measure were to be buried in committee or voted down by the council, www.chicityclerk.com presumably would let everybody know.
“My critics will argue that this is simply a power grab,” Laski said at a City Hall news conference. “That is an easy way to dismiss the whole idea. . . .My motivation is to bring Chicago in line with nearly every major city in the country.”
And as for Daley, with whom he has clashed on occasion, Laski said he ultimately hopes to have proposed mayoral ordinances posted before they are introduced, though he is putting initial emphasis on the committees.
“Our feeling about Laski’s (proposal) is that it is up to him and the council chairmen to see what they can work out,” said John Camper, a mayoral spokesman.
Regarding the general thrust of the new home page, Camper said, “I don’t think anybody has an objection to that.”
Critics contend that current procedures make the council ripe for insider dealing and other abuses.
“This is innovative,” Ald. Robert Shaw (9th), said of Laski’s computer initiative. “It gives the public access to what is happening. Every alderman here is a public servant, and people need to know what aldermen are doing.”
The new home page also provides information on programs and services offered by the clerk’s office, from dog license applications to city claim forms.
Over time, it will be improved so that motorists, for example, will be able to apply and pay for vehicle stickers on-line, Laski said.
