Port Arthur’s elected leaders struggle to pave streets, remove urban blight and curb crime.

Unemployment? Don’t even go there.

But these are difficult times. Just look around.

In a scant hour or so this week, though, City Council members rewrote the history of free expression in America, insisting that this newspaper has no write to express opinions. Never mind John Peter Zenger and Thomas Jefferson and Near v. Minnesota or their own city laws.

Their insights centered largely around two Port Arthur News articles, the first, a Dec. 2 story detailing their expenses on a three-day convention of municipalities in Houston; the second, a Dec. 10 commentary urging more transparency about how they spend the taxpayer’s money.

Both seemed to wound the feelings of District 4 Councilman Harold Doucet Sr., who promised not to belabor his points of objection, then did. Others piled on when they could.

All of which is their perfect right — we wouldn’t begrudge anyone their right to express themselves — although it took up a good deal of council meeting time which might have been better spent on citizens’ business. Here’s a few topics that might have mattered more to people whose taxes pay for city council members’ salaries and for keeping the lights on at City Hall:

1. He’s hardly been here long enough to learn street names, but the city’s police chief is job searching. As of late this week, he’s a genuine contender in St. Louis, and who knows where else he’s applied?
2. Large piles of debris still line some main thoroughfares, portions of Memorial among them. When’s that going to be fully handled?
3. Will an apparent exodus of citizens, post-Harvey, reverse itself? If the city’s population decline is permanent it could present a steep cut in tax support and federal dollars.
4. Where did downtown go? With Capital One Bank closing its doors near City Hall, there are no banks left. Isn’t that alarming? How will the council bring back a vibrant and vital downtown?

The list could go on — council members might consult that Dec. 10 commentary by News publisher Rich Macke they disparaged if they need additional, relevant topics for City Council discussions.

Councilman Osman Swati made a valiant effort to explain why Americans — newspaper publishing Americans, among them — hold rights to express themselves, but his colleagues were having none of it. Too bad.

These elected leaders hold office at a perilous time in Port Arthur’s history. Their concerns and focus should be on reversing the city’s decline, on creating conditions for a livable, prosperous place and happy, busy people.

They didn’t do that this week. There’s always next week.