Government transparency
Opinion: Shut down these records!
December 17, 2009 |
As 2009 comes to a close, we know already that
the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association will be
fighting three recently-introduced bills that are
intended to close more records, all of which were
reported from their original committees this
week.
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Opinion: First, Obama's transparency directive. Gov. Rendell: You next?
December 17, 2009 |
So, Gov. Rendell, did you see what President
Obama did the other day? Will you follow his lead
in Pennsylvania? Obama told federal agencies to
be more transparent, publish more data, and in
fact, set deadlines for them to put as-yet
unreleased information online. I wanted to ask
Rendell if he'd do the same in Pennsylvania.
Read
More...
Opinion: Softwear snafu delays public Web postings
December 13, 2009 |
HARRISBURG - An effort to post a list of 66
Senate contracts and leases on an open-records
Web site has run into lengthy delays. Last
August, Senate officials said they hoped to have
the taxpayer-funded contracts accessible on the
state Treasury contracts Web site within a matter
of days. These contracts fall under posting
requirements in the state open records law which
took effect earlier this year. That remains an
elusive goal at year's end. Read
More...
Despite 'RTK' Law, some records hard to find
November 18, 2009 |
Why is it still so difficult for citizens to get
public documents from the Legislature a year
after lawmakers passed a new law and promised a
new day? WTAE Team 4 investigator Jim Parsons
reports that no one knows how the Legislature is
doing under the new Right To Know Law.
Read
More...
Opinion: Update on public notice, open records bills
September 03, 2009 |
In case you’ve been keeping score, there was
movement on two damaging public notice bills last
session, both of which died in the Senate – one
in Appropriations and the other tabled on the
floor calendar. So far this year, there has been
activity in both the House and the Senate, with
local government organizations pushing five
virtually identical bills this session.
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Opinion: Lawmakers prefer working in the dark
August 15, 2009 |
Corruption hunters have a target-rich environment
not only in Northeast Pennsylvania but in many
parts of the commonwealth, including Harrisburg.
But while federal and state prosecutors continue
to work on individual criminal cases, little is
being done institutionally to thwart corruption
and improve governance. Read
More...
Senate releasing contract list online
August 07, 2009 |
HARRISBURG - The state Senate has released a list
of 66 contracts and leases that will be posted
soon on the Treasury
contracts Web site to comply with the
state open-records law. Read
More...
Some state contracts not included in e-library
August 01, 2009 |
HARRISBURG - Online for one year, the Pennsylvania
Contracts e-Library is one of the first
fruits of the state's new open records law.
This e-library ostensibly allows the public to search and review on a Web site many state contracts worth more than $5,000 that have been awarded since July 1, 2008, by state agencies and the Legislature. The open records law requires state and legislative agencies to file these contracts (with some exceptions) within 10 days after the contract is fully executed with the state Treasury for posting. But not all contracts that fit the law's requirements are on the Treasury Web site. Read More...
This e-library ostensibly allows the public to search and review on a Web site many state contracts worth more than $5,000 that have been awarded since July 1, 2008, by state agencies and the Legislature. The open records law requires state and legislative agencies to file these contracts (with some exceptions) within 10 days after the contract is fully executed with the state Treasury for posting. But not all contracts that fit the law's requirements are on the Treasury Web site. Read More...
Opinion: Your access to information is under attack
July 31, 2009 |
We are just past halfway through the first year
of Pennsylvania’s new Open Records Law and the
public’s access to information is again under
siege. Read
More...
Opinion: Is it really all about safety?
July 31, 2009 |
It’s been a busy spring and summer defending
against a plethora of legislative proposals that
all reduce citizens’ access to information, from
‘shoppers’ bills that would steer controversial
legal notices to that junk mail at the foot of
your driveway, to Internet ‘advertising’ that
would give a leg up to somebody’s best buddy –
oops, pre-qualified bidder. Read
More...
Opinion: Court dismisses open records case
July 30, 2009 |
In a disappointing ruling dated July 22, 2009,
the Pennsylvania Supreme Court dismissed an open
records appeal as improvidently granted. The
parties had been waiting for a decision from the
Court since March 5, 2007, the date the Court
granted the appeal. Read
More...
Opinion: Taking care of wrong business
July 28, 2009 |
Some state lawmakers have taken a pause from the
time-consuming process of not passing a state
budget in order to return to the perennial
pursuit of limiting public access to public
information. What you know, after all, can hurt
them. Read
More...
Open records office says budget cuts would set it back
July 25, 2009 |
The state's new Office of Open Records is on pace
to see about 1,000 open records denial appeals
this year. More appeals are expected to be filed
next year, as people become more familiar with
the law, said Barry Fox, deputy director of the
open records office. But it's looking like the
office is going to have its $1.3 million budget
request cut by about $335,000, something that Fox
says will hurt the ability of the new agency to
fulfill its mission. Read
More...
Budget cuts threaten disclosure
July 22, 2009 |
HARRISBURG -- The ability of two oversight
agencies to carry out their mandates is
threatened by state budget cuts, a watchdog group
says. Pennsylvania Common Cause is urging the
governor and lawmakers to maintain funding for
the Office of Open Records and the state Ethics
Commission at previous year levels.
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More...
Opinion: Budget cuts would gut commitment to open government
July 21, 2009 |
All is not well at Pennsylvania's new Office of
Open Records. Speaking as its first executive
director, I find that a difficult but necessary
truth to express. I am asking citizens and other
open-government advocates for help. We are at a
crossroads and citizens should have an accurate
and honest picture of what's happening with this
aspect of their government.
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Opinion: What do they have to hide? What do they have to hide?
July 21, 2009 |
Sometimes it's hard to get a straight answer -
even when we file a written request for one, then
wait five business days and sometimes up to a
month on top of that. Read
More...
Ruling: Schools' draft budgets are public record
July 18, 2009 |
When Pat Barget requested a copy of the South
Eastern School District proposed budget in May,
she was denied. The budget was due to be approved
by the school district by June 30, but the
documents Barget wanted were draft records, not
subject to the state's Right-to-Know law, the
district wrote back. "It would be a disservice to
the community and to the District, to provide
information that is a draft document," the
district's refusal letter read. The state Office
of Open Records disagreed. Read
More...
Mellow's Senate office records difficult to obtain
July 18, 2009 |
HARRISBURG -- The slow process this week of
obtaining copies of leases for state Sen. Robert
Mellow's district office highlighted the
inefficiency of the Senate's process compared to
that of the House of Representatives.
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Opinion: Put some teeth in law that requires open meetings
July 12, 2009 |
Just as the state Open Records Act presumes all
records are public unless proved otherwise, the
state Sunshine Act should be updated to assume
all meetings are open to the public unless proved
otherwise. Read
More...
Drucker, McIlvaine Smith among those unveiling reform bills
July 10, 2009 |
Two state representatives from Chester County are
among a group of legislators who earlier this
week unveiled a package of reform bills aimed at
putting an end to legislative practices that have
recently attracted criticism. Read
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Opinion: Let key reform produce more
July 07, 2009 |
Pennsylvania's new Open Records Law is far from
perfect, but it proved its worth recently when
the Associated Press used it to obtain previously
secret records on legislative initiative grants -
infamously better known as "walking around
money." Read
More...
Opinion: Let's celebrate transparent government
July 02, 2009 |
Transparency in government is worth celebrating
as we prepare to mark our country's birth
Saturday. It's been just six months since
Pennsylvania's new Right-to-Know Law took effect,
giving it a major overhaul for the first time in
52 years. Read
More...
Pa. House panel advances online legal notices bill
June 30, 2009 |
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -- A bill that would let
Pennsylvania municipalities and school boards
post their legal notices online - cutting
millions in fees that are currently paid to
newspapers - is on its way to the House floor.
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Public notice changes to be discussed
June 22, 2009 |
Legislation to change how governments advertise
public meetings and other actions will not get
taken up until the fall. Read
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Online accounting: Give public clear picture of state finances
June 21, 2009 |
The next step in government transparency in
Pennsylvania should be to provide greater public
access to the money it generates and spends. More
and more states are doing so. Read
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New light shed on lawmakers' secretive grants
June 20, 2009 |
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Tens of millions of tax
dollars that support Pennsylvania lawmakers'
favored causes are directed by legislative
leaders through a secretive process that appears
to benefit some leaders' constituents the most,
according to an analysis by The Associated Press.
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Opinion: What's best use of Internet for government information?
June 18, 2009 |
With state government generally enchanted with
the Internet, the significance of public notices
in a democracy seems to strike some as almost an
afterthought. Read
More...
York school board to review trip expenses
May 22, 2009 |
The York City School Board voted 5-4 to pull the
receipts for expenditures during an April trip to
San Diego for further review. The board was made
aware of how the money was spent on the trip
because of a Daily Record/Sunday News article,
written after he receipts were obtained
through a Right-to-Know request.
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York school board spends on San Diego trip
May 22, 2009 |
Four York City School Board members spent about
$2,000, mostly on food and cabs, at a seminar in
California last month -- and that sum does not
include air fare, hotels, conference fees and a
fifth board member's expenses, according to
receipts for the expenditures obtained through a
Right to Know request. Read
More...
Opinion: Department of Education decisions threaten public notice
May 21, 2009 |
The Pennsylvania Department of Education has
issued two troubling decisions that negatively
affect public notice in some communities.
Read
More...
Opinion: SB 419 would harm democracy, as well as newspapers
May 19, 2009 |
Newspapers and journalists have worked hard to
help policymakers understand the true cost of
putting public notices in junk mail: the loss of
public access to information about what
government is doing. Read
More...
Pa. House committee looks at legal notice rules
May 15, 2009 |
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania's
paid-circulation newspapers argued Thursday
against altering the rules for government-funded
legal notices, while municipal organizations and
"shoppers" that compete with the papers told a
legislative committee the change would save tax
dollars. Read
More...
Lawmakers consider letting legal ads go online
May 14, 2009 |
HARRISBURG -- County, borough and school district
groups clashed with newspaper industry
representatives today over three bills that would
make major changes in how legal advertising is
disseminated to the public. Read
More...
Public notices could find new homes in print, online.
May 14, 2009 |
HARRISBURG (May 14) - Local governments have long
posted ads about home foreclosures, school board
meetings, contract bids and other public issues
in daily or weekly newspapers, but new laws under
consideration by the state Legislature could
change that, allowing municipalities to use other
media to publicize their activities. Read
More...
Opinion: Defending the publication of public notices
May 14, 2009 |
Senate Bill 419 would allow the government to
control its own public notices and eliminate the
independent, third-party verification that
newspaper publication provides. It would be all
too easy to manipulate the bidding process, favor
certain contractors, and shield critical
information.
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Opinion: Shining some light on Pa. spending
May 03, 2009 |
Harrisburg seems poised to make state government
more accountable and transparent. Yes, that's
right. Harrisburg. Accountable. Transparent. All
in one sentence. This week, the state Senate is
expected to vote on the Taxpayer Transparency
Act, which would create a searchable Web site
that would let Pennsylvanians track state
expenses and contracts by June 1.
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Lobbyist notes to Rendell mix charm, pressure
April 27, 2009 |
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP, April 27) - Newly disclosed
correspondence between Pennsylvania Gov. Ed
Rendell and lobbyists from last year shows he
received particular pressure regarding a property
assessment bill he eventually vetoed and a
stalled proposal to extend health coverage to
more of the uninsured. Read
More...
Opinion: Bill would make government in state even more secretive
April 19, 2009 |
When Elder Vogel was elected as the first
Republican state senator from Beaver County since
the dawn of time, he was hailed as an agent of
change. It turns out that Vogel has fallen into
line with the public-be-damned mentality that
permeates the General Assembly and government
across Pennsylvania in general. Last week, the
New Sewickley Township Republican sided with
those local, county and state politicians who
believe Pennsylvania residents should be treated
like mushrooms by keeping them well fertilized
and in the dark.
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Opinion: Web-only govt. notices will keep people in the dark
April 19, 2009 |
Under the guise of saving taxpayer dollars and
keeping the public informed, some state senators
are pushing a plan that could actually leave
people in the dark and help officals play
favorites with public contracts. Read
More...
Opinion: Sun still not shining in state Capitol
April 19, 2009 |
This was supposed to be a year of sunlight in
Harrisburg, with the new open-records law taking
effect and a state open-records czar and her
staff working to make sure citizens have access
to their government. But a funny thing has
happened in the Keystone state, leaving us
wondering whether there’s been any difference in
the same old, same old way of operating at the
state Capitol. Read
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Opinion: A foot in the door
April 18, 2009 |
Pennsylvania's new open-records law has been
anything but open since it took effect in
January. And the blame starts at the top.
Read
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Opinion: Legal ads keep public informed
April 17, 2009 |
Whether you are a concerned citizen who tracks
government spending and zoning decisions, or a
business person who plans to bid on products or
services for government use, you have one
reliable, accessible source to monitor government
-- the classified section of the Erie Times-News,
in the "public notices" category. Read
More...
Opinion: The fine print
April 17, 2009 |
It should come as no surprise in a state where
lawmakers like to operate in the dark -
especially late at night, when they can award
themselves pay hikes - that a bill in Harrisburg
aims to make it harder for Pennsylvanians to
follow what their elected officials are up to.
Read
More...
Opinion: Right to know in jeopardy
April 16, 2009 |
"Notice is hereby given ..." That you, the people
of Pennsylvania, are dangerously close to losing
a time-honored service that protects your right
to know what local municipalities are up to --
from invitations for bids on projects, to notices
of hearings on zoning issues, to sheriff's sales
listings.
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Opinion: Anti-democratic legal ads bill before Pa. Senate
April 16, 2009 |
Your government wants to take legal notices out
of the public domain and put them on government
Web sites. Your government leaders want to take
the "public" out of public notices.
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Opinion: Advertising requirement is a matter of transparency
April 16, 2009 |
A bill in the state Senate would lift the
requirement that public agencies advertise their
legal notices in newspapers. That would open the
door for abuses that could cost taxpayers much
more than the cost of those ads. Read
More...
Opinion: The public sector
April 16, 2009 |
Some state officials want to take public notices
out of the public sector, where they have forever
been. Public notices are part of the connective
tissue that holds newspapers together and binds
them to the communities that they serve.
Read
More...
Opinion: Is this what you call reform?
April 16, 2009 |
Reform and transparency have been the topic of
much discussion in the last few years. There has
been a lot of talk, some action, and now a
proposal that would be a huge step in the wrong
direction. I'm talking about a push by local
governments to take public notices out of
newspapers and put them on government Web sites.
They claim that it would be cheaper and more
convenient for the public. At best, these claims
are misguided. At worst, they are misleading and
promote government secrecy and cronyism.
Read
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Opinion: Posting only to Web limits access to local information
April 15, 2009 |
There is legislation working its way through our
state Senate that would allow local governments
to post public notices only on their Web sites.
It sounds innocent enough. But it is bad
legislation that in the end will cost more and
mean you will know less about what is going on in
your community. Read
More...
Change to ‘legal ad’ rule may cloud sunshine, public advocates say
April 14, 2009 |
A bill that some say will undermine transparency
in government throughout the Commonwealth’s towns
and school districts is under consideration at
the State Capitol. The bill would allow local
governments to post meeting notices, budgets,
construction bids, contract offers, zoning
changes and proposed new laws on
government-maintained websites, rather than in a
newspaper as now required by law. Read
More...
Opinion: Records czar out of loop
April 14, 2009 |
Unfortunately, secrecy is standard operating
procedure in Pennsylvania government. It's a bad
habit that you can't quit just by signing a bill.
You have to go cold turkey and actually quit
being secretive. Read
More...
Opinion: Web no sub for newspaper ‘legals’
April 13, 2009 |
A state Senate committee has taken up an
ill-advised bill that would allow local and state
governments to stop placing legal advertisements
in newspapers of general circulation, which is
now required for important matters such as
meeting and bid notices, polling place locations,
zoning changes and so on. Read
More...
Opinion: Robbins spearheads effort to limit public information
April 13, 2009 |
The Pennsylvania General Assembly took a major
step last year in passing open records laws that
give the public more access to government
maneuvering. Now state Sen. Bob Robbins is
working to make it more secretive. Read
More...
Opinion: Records law applies to all levels of government
April 13, 2009 |
At best, Gov. Rendell's insistence upon written
open records communications amounts to an
unnecessary increase in bureaucratic
inefficiency. At worst, it indicates heel-digging
resistance to a progressive new law signed by
Rendell himself. Read
More...
Opinion: Plan to divert legal ads to government Web sites is risky
April 12, 2009 |
Here's a fair warning: This editorial may come
across as insider-industry stuff, or even as a
self-serving pitch by newspapers to protect a
source of revenue. Read
More...
Opinion: Keep public notices public
April 12, 2009 |
If you feel like you're in the dark about what
your government is up to, it could get worse. A
Senate bill that is moving quickly through the
Legislature would remove public notices from
newspapers and put them on government Web sites.
Read
More...
Opinion: Legal ad issue is disclosure
April 12, 2009 |
A state Senate committee has taken up a bill that
would allow local and state governments to stop
placing legal ads in newspapers, which is
required for matters such as meeting and bid
notices, polling place locations, zoning changes
and so on. Instead, governments would be allowed
to post those notices on their own Web sites,
which would reduce distribution of the
information.
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Public notices could be 'hidden' from view
April 10, 2009 |
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 419, which is moving
quickly through the legislative process in
Harrisburg, would remove public notices from
newspapers and put them on government Web sites.
Read
More...
Pa.'s public-records czar faults Rendell on openness
April 10, 2009 |
HARRISBURG — The Rendell administration appears
to be going out of its way to block public access
to government documents. At least that is the
impression left on the state's new open-records
czar. Read
More...
Bills could take government notices out of newspapers
April 07, 2009 |
Government entities publish legal notices in
newspapers - not necessarily because they want
to, but because it's the law. Bills pending in
Harrisburg could take the notices out of
newspapers like this one and move them to Web
sites run by the municipality, school district or
county government agency required to give public
notice. Read
More...
Blair County may change legal ads
April 07, 2009 |
HOLLIDAYSBURG - Blair County commissioners are
showing interest in proposed legislation allowing
the posting of legal advertisements on agency Web
sites instead of in newspapers. Read
More...
Transparency would pay dividends
March 29, 2009 |
The truth may be the best defense for elected and
appointed officials who fear scrutiny of spending
may distract attention from worthwhile
initiatives. Former Bucknell President Gary Sojka
serves on the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
and said a recent flurry of criticism of the
board's spending feels "like a cheap shot."
Read
More...
Pa. public officials cannot close meetings when it suits them
March 17, 2009 |
This is National Sunshine Week, dedicated to
celebrating the importance of open government and
freedom of information. Sadly, though, here in
the Philadelphia region, the forecast calls for
clouds and closed government. Read
More...
Opinion: Legislature should put teeth in the state's Sunshine Act
March 15, 2009 |
In Pennsylvania, which just this year implemented
its much-improved Open Records Act, illegal
secret meetings have become a joke, because those
who knowingly engage in such sessions are well
aware that no punitive measure will be taken even
if the courts rule that the private gathering
violated the state Sunshine Act. Read
More...
Negative coverage divides Radnor
March 15, 2009 |
For some Radnor residents, the controversy
surrounding the township manager and his salary
bonuses wasn't as troubling as the widespread
news coverage. Unaccustomed in many ways to the
glare of publicity, they are questioning how open
township business should really be. Read
More...
Vote to keep committee meetings private breaks down along party lines
March 11, 2009 |
ARDMORE — The Lower Merion Board of Commissioners
will keep its Ad Hoc Budget Committee, and it
will keep that committee’s meetings closed to the
public. That was the answer to a citizen’s
open-meetings challenge in a lengthy discussion
Wednesday night. Read
More...
Bills would boost spending transparency
March 06, 2009 |
At least 11 states — Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho,
Illinois, Iowa, Montana, Ohio, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wyoming — are
considering or recently have considered
legislation to create online budget and spending
databases. They could join more than a dozen
other states which have passed similar
legislation or issued executive or department
orders since 2007. Read
More...
PHEAA foundation chief fired, board blasts expenses
March 03, 2009 |
Michael Hershock was given an ultimatum Friday to
resign or be fired from what is perhaps the most
lucrative part-time job in state government. The
president and CEO of the nonprofit Pennsylvania
Higher Education Foundation chose to be fired
over a dispute about travel expenses. Foundation
board members became aware of the expenses when
they reviewed records requested by The
Patriot-News through the state's new Right to
Know Law. Read
More...
OFF THE FLOOR: Corbett, Scarnati, Rendell, McCall deserve reform kudos
February 27, 2009 |
The reform movement in Pennsylvania owes a debt
to the Pennsylvania Bar Association: If the state
bar hadn’t royally infuriated Attorney General
Tom Corbett, we might still be without a
functioning lobbyist expenditure disclosure law.
Read
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Review panel OKs PA lobbyist disclosure rules
February 26, 2009 |
HARRISBURG – Proposed regulations governing
compliance with Pennsylvania's lobbyist
disclosure law received the green light Thursday
from a state regulatory panel that had rejected a
version last fall.
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Lobbying law passes IRRC after November rejection
February 26, 2009 |
HARRISBURG – After Attorney General Tom Corbett
today asked the state’s top regulatory review
body to ignore its staff, reverse its November
decision and approve Pennsylvania’s lobbying
expenditure disclosure law, the panel did just
that. Read
More...
Rulings keep secret Pa. lawmaker-lobbyist contacts
February 24, 2009 |
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Appeals officers for both
chambers of the Pennsylvania Legislature said
Tuesday the new Right-to-Know Law does not give
the public the right to review correspondence
between lawmakers and lobbyists. Read
More...
Secrecy & Favoritism: Auditor General draft report slams administration handling of tech contracts
February 11, 2009 |
Auditor General Jack Wagner is accusing Gov. Ed
Rendell's administration of hiding the details of
nearly $600 million in technology contracts with
one company and is suggesting abuses ranging from
vendor favoritism to no-bid contracts.
Read
More...
Findings test new open-records law
February 11, 2009 |
Representatives of the state auditor general's
office said they found the Rendell
administration's commitment to government
transparency lacking when they sought records
about information-technology contracts awarded to
Deloitte Consulting from 2004 through 2007.
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State, local governments should encourage citizen participation
February 04, 2009 |
At Annville-Cleona School District the board
members decided to extend the budget discussion
beyond that table and at the same time perhaps do
away with the Monday morning quarterbacking that
residents are sometimes forced to do after the
vote on a final spending plan. Board members are
asking the public to take a hard look at the
budget, which it posted at the administrative
building. The board said it wanted to get
thoughts from residents on the spending plan, and
as one director put it, "to help us ax it."
Read
More...
House Republicans question timing of publication of Democrats' rules
February 03, 2009 |
HARRISBURG - House Republicans are angered about
the after-hours posting Monday night of rules
resolutions sponsored by House Democrats.
Read
More...
Opinion: Obama comes out for open government
January 25, 2009 |
We've written a lot about open government at the
state and local level, including the need to
update the Pennsylvania open records law. But one
of the orders issued by President Barack Obama
shortly after taking office is worth noting in
this space as well. Read
More...
Board should err on the side of openness and transparency
September 16, 2008 |
Last week, the budget watchdog group Citizens for
Responsible Budgeting submitted a letter that
referenced an upcoming "non-public budget
'workshop'" that the Lower Merion Commissioners
would be having on September 24. As a result of
that letter, we received a number of legitimate
questions regarding the purpose and propriety of
such a closed door Board meeting, which we would
like to address. Read
More...