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Knowledge is power - and nothing is more vital to knowledge than information and access to that information. Pennsylvania notoriously scores low among states regarding freedom of information. According to the Better Government Association, the Commonwealth ranks 47th; this low ranking is a blemish on the character of our state, which otherwise has many achievements and an important historical role to be proud of. The BGA ranking measured all 50 states on five indicators of freedom of information, including response time to acquire records, the appeal process if denied records and sanctions against those who impede access to records. In comparison to other states, Pennsylvania clearly needs some changes. The reform movement that began rocking the Capitol last winter needs to continue, and it is the perfect opportunity to target access to records. The state House already made essential changes to the way it does business, but more change needs to come. Now is the time to expand public access to legislative and other records, including financial records. Public tax dollars fund the legislature, therefore the public deserves access to House and Senate expenses and gross payroll records. This openness would encourage lawmakers and officials to spend tax revenue wisely, especially in regards to personal meals and transportation. Just as families across the state need to employ careful budgets, so must legislators. Currently, the law does more to protect officials than the residents whose interests they are elected or appointed to represent. This is an enormous injustice in the law. I am the prime co-sponsor of HB 443, legislation that would correct this injustice. The people have put their trust in their officials - and pay their salaries. How can people decide if they are pleased with their representation if they don't have exposure to the inner workings of their government at all levels? Another important piece of this access to records movement is posting the state's laws and statutes online. Yes, freedom is the underlying ideal our nation was founded on, however in order to sustain an orderly, safe and prosperous society, we have laws in place to keep our community safe - so doesn't it make sense to give the people governed by these laws access to them? Yes, freedom is the underlying ideal our nation was founded on, however in order to sustain an orderly, safe and prosperous society, we have laws in place to keep our community safe -- so doesn't it make sense to give the people governed by these laws access to them? In the past, private citizens and attorneys alike had to pay top dollar to access a particular statute online, and typically had to purchase an entire set of laws and statutes &endash; a costly enterprise. Pennsylvania needs to address these issues now, and the public needs to continue pushing their officials to make these changes to clear the blemish on Pennsylvania's character regarding open access. CapNews Guest Speaker: Archives |
