We’ve been hearing a lot about the so-called “Sunshine List” that would see the names and salaries of city employees made public but that list won’t include sworn or civilian members of the Saint John Police Department after a vote at the Police Commission.
Mayor Mel Norton was a vocal advocate for publishing the names of members but was voted down because members wondered what benefit that would serve when you could just publish their job titles.
Some police officers reportedly were worried about reprisals if their names were made public although the Mayor argues it would take about 5 minutes of research to match up the titles with the people that hold them anyway.
Common Councillor John Mackenzie, who recently replaced fellow Councillor Greg Norton on the Commission says the names aren’t as important as taxpayers knowing how their tax dollars are being spent.
