More than a month ago, the Democrat and Chronicle filed what seemed like a simple records request with the city of Rochester. The newspaper asked for records of ticket sales, concessions and team contracts (read: leases) that would spell out revenue sharing and use terms for Blue Cross Arena at the Community War Memorial.
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Read More… from Governments aren’t the only ones who keep agency records
The Freedom of Information Act, first enacted in 1966, allows the public to see how their government functions — and fails to function — by providing access to official records. In fiscal year 2013, government agencies released some or all of the information sought in 440,997 requests.
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Read More… from Editorial: Upgrade to Freedom of Information Act is a good start
The term Sunshine State has also come to describe a state government that is open and accessible to all citizens, most clearly expressed in our state’s open government laws.
But a profound and dangerous darkness has overtaken every corner of state government and most especially in Tallahassee.
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Read More… from Opinion: Citizens must support open government
Denial of public records, excessive fees to find out what the government is doing, violations of open meetings law and long delays in getting information are some of the problems open records advocates find in Tennessee.
News media routinely face hurdles in getting information to report to the public but ordinary citizens have it 10 times worse, said Deborah Fisher, executive director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government. She made the comment during the annual Associated Press-Tennessee Press Association legislative preview session.
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Read More… from Open records advocate: Citizens have tougher time than media
"This is a place where policy is being made and we believe those discussions on policy should be made in the open," said Blair Horner, New York Public Interest Research Group legislative director.
"Requiring a slow, deliberate process to be public is sort of an unreasonable expectation in the circumstances," said political scientist Dr. Gerald Benjamin.
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Read More… from Good Government Groups Call for More Government Transparency
Fort Bend District Attorney John Healey said Wednesday that he doesn't believe open government laws were broken when county officials refused to provide details about a wage increase proposal in advance of a vote by commissioners Tuesday and that he has no plans to bring charges in the matter.
"I haven't heard anything yet that leads me to believe the law has been violated," said Healey, the county's top prosecutor for more than two decades.
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Read More… from Fort Bend DA: Delayed information release didn’t break law
Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said Monday he’s interested in finding ways to boost compliance with North Dakota’s open government laws, but a proposed $500 penalty against repeat violators isn’t the way to go.
Stenehjem testified before the House Judiciary Committee against House Bill 1435, which would impose a $500 penalty on a member of a state governing body who has violated the state’s open records and open meetings laws more than once.
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Read More… from ND attorney general opposes fine for open government violations
There is no better protection of our democracy than the public’s right to know — and its power to know — about the doings of its government.
Secrecy and darkness are the breeding ground of corruption and the succor of incompetence.
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If you want to see your government in action, just take a seat in the gallery high above the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
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Read More… from Opinion: Massachusetts’ problem with transparency
