Civic · 6 pages · 12 min

Why speed and legitimacy trade

The procedures that let people contest a local decision take time, so finishing faster spends some of that legitimacy.

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From the opening

Speed and legitimacy trade because notice, a hearing, written findings, and a recorded vote all take calendar time before a local decision can claim to bind people. A body that skips those steps can finish sooner, and it weakens the claim that affected people had a real chance to see the proposal and to contest it. The opening covers required procedure spends calendar time, emergencies can shorten the path, and checklists legitimize fast ministerial acts.

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Inside

Required procedure spends calendar time
Emergencies can shorten the path
Checklists legitimize fast ministerial acts
Endless delay can hollow out voice
Where the idea stops applying
A distinction worth keeping

Sources

Procedural due process
Open meeting and hearing requirements

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Why speed and legitimacy trade

From the opening

Inside

Sources

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