MONTGOMERY, AL — The City of Montgomery can thrive when its residents are informed and engaged. Yet too often, important ordinances, whether concerning curfews, garbage collection fees, or food truck regulations, are introduced and passed without giving the public adequate time to review them beforehand. While we appreciate the hard work of our Mayor and City Council, we urge them to embrace greater transparency to strengthen trust and collaboration with the community.
Transparency should be a cornerstone of local government. At the federal and state levels, proposed legislation is routinely made available for public review before votes are taken. For example, when Congress considers major bills, like the Republicans recent “Big Beautiful Bill,” which was proposed, the public was able to scrutinize its contents, exposing harmful provisions like Medicare cuts and tax hikes on low-income earners. Citizens and stakeholders have the opportunity to examine the details and voice their concerns. Montgomery should follow this example by ensuring proposed ordinances are accessible to residents well before decisions are made.
Consider a recent City Council meeting where an ordinance amended garbage collection charges (Section 25-71 of the City Code). The agenda listed only a brief description, leaving residents with unanswered questions: Who will be affected? Are fees increasing? If so, by how much? Without access to the full text beforehand, citizens have little opportunity to understand or provide feedback on changes that directly impact their lives.
This issue isn’t limited to garbage fees. Just last week, an ordinance regulating food trucks was passed, but how many local business owners had the chance to review it beforehand? When ordinances are finalized without meaningful public input, it creates a gap between the government and the people it serves.
We believe a simple solution exists: a publicly accessible online portal where proposed ordinances are posted at least one to two weeks before votes. This would allow residents to:
- Review policies that affect their families and businesses,
- Engage in constructive dialogue with city leaders,
- Suggest improvements or voice concerns, and
- Strengthen trust in local government.
Montgomery’s leaders have an opportunity to set a new standard for openness. By making ordinances available for public review before votes, they can foster greater civic participation and ensure decisions reflect the community’s needs. Citizens shouldn’t be shocked or surprised by an ordinance on the day of a vote.