We don't think of the City of San Fransisco as a model of open government, but even they have an ordinance requiring same-day responses to public records requests in many cases. Whoa.
Here is a link to the Death By Email blog posting on this.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
Public Records Show ... School Officials Fail to Report Crimes on School Grounds
The Seattle P-I reports that Seattle School District officials failed to report to police, among other things, the alleged sexual assault of a developmentally disabled girl by fellow students. Reporting crimes on school grounds to the police probably generates a lot of paperwork for school officials so it's better that student-criminals instead receive a stern warning that their felonies ought to stop or they might be in big trouble--like cleaning the chalk board after school for every felony or something like that. At least there's less paperwork. Whew. What a relief for parents of student-victims.
How could the P-I learn this and then let the public know (so maybe it can be corrected)?
"A Seattle P-I review of police and Seattle Public Schools records shows that case isn't the only likely crime that wasn't reported to police. While a majority of incidents on school campuses were recorded into the district's safety and security logs and reported to police if necessary, some incidents weren't -- including cases of assaults and strong-arm robberies."
Remember which groups are often the most vocally opposed to the Public Records Act: school districts and teacher unions. Wonder why.
How could the P-I learn this and then let the public know (so maybe it can be corrected)?
"A Seattle P-I review of police and Seattle Public Schools records shows that case isn't the only likely crime that wasn't reported to police. While a majority of incidents on school campuses were recorded into the district's safety and security logs and reported to police if necessary, some incidents weren't -- including cases of assaults and strong-arm robberies."
Remember which groups are often the most vocally opposed to the Public Records Act: school districts and teacher unions. Wonder why.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
$219 for Copy of 158-page Record
If you think things are bad in Washington state, how about in Pennsylvania. A local government there attempted to charge a newspaper $219 for a 158-page record--charging for hand folding and "typesetting" (huh? they still do that?). Just for fun, click on the link in the story to the $219 estimate--what a hoot. The lawful maximum charge would be $22.
Tip of the hat to Mindy Chambers of the State Auditor's Office for bringing this to og-blog's attention.
P.S. If you have paid, or been asked to pay, a ridiculous amount for copies of public records in Washington state, please let us know at contact@og-blog.com.
Tip of the hat to Mindy Chambers of the State Auditor's Office for bringing this to og-blog's attention.
P.S. If you have paid, or been asked to pay, a ridiculous amount for copies of public records in Washington state, please let us know at contact@og-blog.com.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Presidential Papers
This Seattle Times editorial discusses a federal bill to overturn a Bush administration executive order allowing the President to withhold presidential papers from the public. The bill would overturn the executive order provision empowering relatives of the President to decide whether to allow the release of presidential papers. A Republican senator is thought to be blocking the bill.
Open government is a non-partisan issue. In the presidential papers story, the culprit appears to be a Republican. In Washington state there are plenty of Democrat culprits. And some Republicans. And some more Democrats. And so it goes.
Open government is a non-partisan issue. In the presidential papers story, the culprit appears to be a Republican. In Washington state there are plenty of Democrat culprits. And some Republicans. And some more Democrats. And so it goes.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Port Commissioners Pick Replacement In Secret Meeting--UPDATED
The (Longview) Daily News reports that port commissioners met in secret--and drew a name out of a hat--to decide who to appoint as a replacement for a retiring commissioner.
"However, the state Attorney General Office said narrowing the list down and reaching a consensus behind closed doors in executive session violates the state's Open Public Meetings Act. 'You can evaluate the qualification of an applicant in executive session; however, when a governing body decides to take final action, it must be in public,' said Tim Ford, assistant attorney general for government accountability in the state Attorney General's Office in Olympia. 'If they had a private agreement --- and it sounds to like they did --- that's making a vote and that sounds like a final action to me,' Ford said. 'Any collective positive or negative decision made on any motion, such as filling a position, is a final action. And that should have been done in public.'"
The Attorney General's Open Government Internet Manual section 3.4(A) and (B) (scroll down) describes why a vote in secret is illegal.
UPDATE (09/25/07): The (Longview) Daily News editorializes that the Port of Longview should simply admit the mistake of violating the Open Public Meetings Act and then donate the personal penalty amount, $100, to charity.
"However, the state Attorney General Office said narrowing the list down and reaching a consensus behind closed doors in executive session violates the state's Open Public Meetings Act. 'You can evaluate the qualification of an applicant in executive session; however, when a governing body decides to take final action, it must be in public,' said Tim Ford, assistant attorney general for government accountability in the state Attorney General's Office in Olympia. 'If they had a private agreement --- and it sounds to like they did --- that's making a vote and that sounds like a final action to me,' Ford said. 'Any collective positive or negative decision made on any motion, such as filling a position, is a final action. And that should have been done in public.'"
The Attorney General's Open Government Internet Manual section 3.4(A) and (B) (scroll down) describes why a vote in secret is illegal.
UPDATE (09/25/07): The (Longview) Daily News editorializes that the Port of Longview should simply admit the mistake of violating the Open Public Meetings Act and then donate the personal penalty amount, $100, to charity.
Public Records Show ... School Bus Driver Gets Speeding Ticket
The (Vancouver) Columbian's public records request to a school district leads to a news story showing that a school bus driver--on the first day of school, no less--received a speeding ticket. Is this information that parents in that school district would like to know?
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