Even for emails and form submissions to members of Congress a 2021 study showed that congressional staff frequently review their correspondence records before writing speeches and drafting legislation.
To the extent that it is ignored, we should be encrusting legislators to listen not telling them to ignore comments because they skew negative.
That's not true at the local level! Public comment is a much bigger deal locally.
Sure but it’s also the easiest, so from a cost-benefit perspective, it’s an attractive option.
> That's not true at the local level! Public comment is a much bigger deal locally.
That’s a good thing. Giving people thw ability to meaningfully participate in the process beyond voting every 2-4 years is a feature. Even if it sometimes slows progress or reduces efficiency.