Elliot Engstrom, of the Civitas Institute, writing for the Burlington Times News spotlights a real problem the General Assembly should address before it adjourns this year…that of open government, and more specifically the ineffective enforcement of the Public Records and Open Meetings laws. Elliot writes:
Last week, the Civitas Institute dropped our public records lawsuit against the Alamance County Board of Elections and Alamance County attorney. To the credit of the board and county attorney, the entire issue was resolved in less than four months. Unfortunately, this is lightning fast compared to the turnaround time for some state agencies.
Access to public records is a basic requirement of any democratic system. Through public records requests, North Carolina citizens can keep their elected officials accountable by keeping close tabs on the activities of state and local governments. Trust, but verify. Continue>>>
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