PLATFORM/Opening records
A recent statewide audit by eight Indiana newspapers showed that government officials routinely broke or circumvented the state’s open records law. Of the government offices visited by reporters posing as residents in 92 counties, only 11 counties granted all requested documents that included crime logs, incident reports, public employee salaries and court files of sex offenders. Recently, American City & County asked readers of its weekly e-mail newsletter if they believe that government should make all of its documents available to the public. Below are some of the responses:
“It can be and is a great burden on all involved to record, catalog and store records and still maintain easy access to these records. The current city administration maintains the position that we will go to any length to provide requested records unless they involve a current or ongoing investigation by law enforcement or are of a personal nature. However, all records are not readily stored in one central storage area primarily because of space and costs; therefore, it does take a short time to access all records to provide the requested documents.”
— Bob Plant, Warren, Ohio, Records Commission Chairman
“We adhere to the guidelines provided by New York’s open government laws. As I understand the Freedom of Information Law, I believe it is important to provide as much information as I possibly can to an ever-increasingly engaged and informed public. There are occasions, however, when it becomes essential to strike a sensitive balance between the public’s right to know and safeguarding someone’s right to privacy or safety — especially in a post-9/11 world.”
— John Marsolais, Albany, N.Y., City Clerk
“I feel that the attorney general of each state should put out a list of all records that are open or closed for the press, public and the office that holds the records. These records do belong to the people and the press in most cases. I feel the law states that I should release them, but I’m sure most families would not want me to. It would take a court order to stop the release. I feel it should take a court order to see them, let alone print them.”
— M.E. “Mickey” Nelson, Lewis and Clark County, Mont., Coroner