Did you see the Times' editorial tonight? This week is "Sunshine Week," intended to remind people about the Open Meeting Laws and the Freedom of Information Act.
And it seems very timely that this is the week we decided to start a blog. Our intention is to make our deliberations on issues public, to rail against all the decisions being made privately and exclusively, and to remind people that they do matter even when it seems that most people are being shut out by 'the majority'.
The OML and FOIA are all about empowering people to be part of the governing process. Elected officials don't sit up on high and dictate to people. Our thoughts on public issues can't be private, our information isn't priveleged. We are supposed to be doing the research, having the debates, and making the decisions that are in the best interest of the public. That requires a give and take.
People who hold public office should show humility, not hubris; this means honoring the public's right to know and our responsibilty to involve the public (not just the public that tends to agree with us) in the process every step of the way.
So, while we didn't intend to unveil this blog during "Sunshine Week", it seems wholly consistent with the spirit of the week.
New York State has a Committee on Open Government. Its executive director, Bob Freeman is a great guy. Here's a link to their website, which can also be found on the Open Meetings/Freedom of Information section of our Resources page. It is a wealth of information on how things should be done.
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/Right_to_know.html
Thursday, March 15
Let the Sun Shine In...
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1 comment:
What a nice surprise to finally have some factual information about some important issues in our community - conflicts of interests, freedom of information, taxes and tax policy, historic preservation vs. development. I have long contended and even argued at long past City Council meetings that important council/community discussions should be supported by objective fact sets and information in advance of the debate. This helps us all get to better solutions sooner. Even more importantly, it is a necessary requirement of having a real local democracy.
Unfortunately, it does not appear that the Mayor is very concerned with this aspect of his reign. If I were elected mayor of the City of Geneva, I would consider this one of my primary responsibilities - presentation of objective facts (transparency) about all issues.
What would I be afraid of? Insuring that everyone in the community has a better chance to understand the facts about decisions that affect our future?
I might add that in addition to having the compilation of bare facts around important issues is the need for the City Council to establish and follow processes for decision-making. It is mystifying that Council sometimes argues about process without drawing one diagram on the wall that shows the steps. Why not make the meetings a little more interesting and more understandable to the voters by showing these processes to us and each other.
Unspun facts and a clearly delineated decision-making process are absolutes for having a real democracy. Without them the City government is a kind of “democracy theme park.” Your explanations of the tax rates and the distinction between “mandatory” and discretionary tax exempt properties are very important prerequisites for future discussions and decisions about new development inside of the City limits. Thanks very much for providing this valuable community service.
Ken Camera
Geneva, NY
4/6/07
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