The public’s right to know
April 27, 2009: "The presumption of Minnesota’s Data Practices Act, the state’s open records law, that all government data should be public, unless state or federal statute holds otherwise, is a sound and important one. But privacy advocates are incorrectly eroding the spirit of that presumption with two bills in the state’s Capitol protecting what they call the privacy of state employees and private companies over the public’s right to know whether those employees and companies are benefiting from their ties with the state or misusing state money respectively. The benefits of landing on the side of transparency far outweigh that of landing on the side of privacy." Read the full editorial here.
Bill would restrict public access to some 'U' info
April 18, 2009: "A bill pending in the Minnesota Legislature would restrict public access to some financial decisions regarding the University of Minnesota's public endowment.
University officials say the proposal would make it easier for the university to find smart investments and could help increase the endowment, which is about $910 million. But critics say the bill is too restrictive." Read the full article here.
Editorial: Help with your open records
March 17, 2009: "Have you ever had trouble accessing public information?
Sometimes, the government clerk working the counter errs on the side of keeping public records from the public. You know you should be able to see that court case or that police report or that property transaction or whatever item it is, yet that person is denying you access, often because he or she has had a lack of training on open-records — or worse, faulty training." Read the full editorial here.
NEWSPAPERS PROVIDE BROADEST ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS
March 12, 2009: "A city seeks bids for road maintenance. A township announces its election and annual meeting. A county publishes its annual list of delinquent taxes.
All three items are of public interest, and all are prominently displayed under the “public notices” sections in Minnesota newspapers.
Yet, certain groups are lobbying the Minnesota Legislature to eliminate the requirement for cities, counties and schools to disperse this information in newspapers – an avenue that provides order, accuracy and reliability in the dissemination of information important to citizens’ everyday lives. Reminding citizens and public officials about the public’s right of access to government information is the focus of “Sunshine Week: Your Right to Know,” March 15-21." Read the full article here.
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