Attorney General encourages government transparency
From Sunshine Review
30 December 2008
Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum issued a public call for increased transparency by all local governments, sheriffs and school districts. He asked them to make a new year's resolution to make open government a top priority before the state's Sunshine Week next March.[1]
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[edit] Open Letter
This week McCollum sent letters to all Florida sheriffs, county commissions and school boards to remind them how easy technology has made it to provide information to the public.
The attorney general informed them, “As Florida is a national leader in providing public access to government records, merely responding to requests is no longer sufficient in light of the technological advances which make it infinitely easier, cheaper and more efficient to do so. Open government is not only good government; it is the right of the tax-paying public.”[1]
[edit] Recommendations
An easy and immediate step he recommended was putting contact information for public records point of contact. Additionally he asked all governments to have their contracts and current budgets posted online before Sunshine Week.
Perhaps in response to a recent investigation by reporters in central Florida, McCollum stressed that staff members must be properly trained in the state sunshine law. The investigation showed that public records requests were often met with confusion.
The Attorney General's office is working on an improved website and additional online training resources for local governments that will be easily accessible and free of charge.[1]
