We hope it is not just a buzz-word of coming elections and candidates and that voters take it very seriously as they make their decisions to run for office or how they are going to vote.
As a newspaper, we hold the need and absolute necessity of transparency in government and government dealings at the top of all requirements in keeping our democratic form of government alive and well.
We try to encourage all of our government representatives to also make this a priority in their dealings of those who are trusted with representing the citizens of not only this country, but this state, county and city.
Most know that there are laws that govern what can be done in secret and what cannot be done in secret when you are a part of a body that uses the tax dollars of citizens to fund your activities. Some do not follow those laws, saying many times that it hinders their ability to do business.
Our thought is that if they are doing legal business, nothing in transparency or open meetings will be a detriment to what they are trying to accomplish. We understand the need for some things to be discussed when dollar negotiations are in consideration, but once again, as long as it is legal and fair, why should there be a worry about the people who are funding the negotiated issue to know exactly what the positions of the representatives are? Why cant they know if those representatives are following what the voters want to be done in spending their money? Is there a fear that those votes might disappear if the voter wishes were not being represented? Of course there is, but that should not even be a consideration in any governmental representatives decision. They are there to serve the voters.
Some may call our thinking as that of a Pollyanna. We say that our thinking of government by the people, of the people and for the people came along far before we existed and was conceived and organized by great minds who knew what it would take to be and stay a democracy.
Along with that transparency, i.e., letting people know what is going on, is the legal requirement to let people and voters know when it is going on. The full and timely posting of meetings in a formally designated public place at least 24 hours before a meeting is a given and they must include a specific agenda if at all possible.
A lesser-known mandate is they need to maintain a list of persons (individual and groups) who request to be notified of meetings or discussion on specific topics and to provide reasonable advance notice. These requests cover a two-year period.
We have recently seen the court decision on the ability to conduct secret votes and have vehemently opposed it.
We have also been asked why we can write an editorial without the name of the writer being mentioned. Noting the question, number one, we write the editorial representing the editorial board, so it is very possible that the writer may be writing something that is representative of the board but not of their personal beliefs. The biggest difference, though, is that we do not use tax dollars to operate our business.
There is much more contained in the overall umbrella of transparency in government. We would encourage every voter, taxpayer and interested citizen to be aware of what is going on and to accept no less than what is required by law from our elected representatives.
