Dear Mayor and Members of the City Council,
Since I left the City Council, I have tried not to weigh in on local issues
without invitation. However, I am writing today to strongly urge you not
to charge local newspapers fees for their public newspaper racks.
During my tenure on the City Council, this exact issue came before the City
Council on at least two separate occasions. Both times, the Council
carefully debated the matter and ultimately voted not to impose fees on
these news racks. I strongly encourage you to respect this historical
precedent. The reasoning that guided our decisions back then remains just
as sound—and perhaps even more vital—today.
Now, more than ever, we need to actively support our local newspaper
publishers. Democracy is not just a national concept; it takes root
directly at the local level. A healthy democracy relies entirely on an
informed citizenry participating in the very meetings you hold and the
community issues you debate. Local newspapers are the critical bridge
connecting our residents to their local government, providing the oversight
and transparency that keeps our civic institutions strong.
Charging fees for news racks places an unnecessary financial hurdle in
front of an industry already fighting steep economic challenges.
Nickel-and-diming these publications threatens their visibility and
viability in our community.
Instead of creating barriers to distribution, we should do everything in
our power to protect the free flow of local information. Even if that
somehow might open us up to criticism that we are favoring the press.
Please honor the precedent set by past councils, reject these fees, and
support local journalism and the essential democratic engagement it fosters.
Thank you for your time, your consideration, and your ongoing service to
Menlo Park.
Sincerely,
Ray Mueller
