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Lake City Reporter
We live in the Sunshine State. But the sun does not always shine.
Open records and open government are critical. Every year we go through the same song and dance when our lawmakers, the men and women we send to Tallahassee, introduce or support bills that would make getting information even more difficult than it already is.
Information that is open to the public, not just to newspapers who may want to exercise their right.
With nearly 60 proposed exemptions, almost twice as many as last year, we need to continue to press our government officials to operate in the Sunshine.
The Lake City Reporter operates in one capacity as your government watchdog.
We’ve had a recent Sunshine Law violation and it brings to mind the need for us to be even more vigilant in our quest for open records and open government.
Lake City and Columbia County is a growing area and a lot of decisions about its growth, what kind of industry we bring to the area and how taxpayers’ money is spent needs to be out on the table.
It takes an involved community to help its public officials, leaders and lawmakers make the best decisions for everyone involved. And this means sharing information and getting input and feedback from people who live in our community.
We need your help.
Today, we again this year celebrate Sunshine Sunday — an effort by newspapers like the Lake City Reporter and broadcasters throughout the state — to get your help to fight to keep Florida’s government open.
Contact your lawmakers. Talk to your local elected officials. We pay them to be available.
In today’s edition we even highlight our city and county officials and how much they earn each year. It’s a reminder that they are paid to help us.
Some of the bills in this year’s session include exemptions for medical information, various personal information of law enforcement officers, paramedics and emergency medical technicians, firearms purchase records, written requests for notaries public records and closure of meetings on ethics complaints.
The list is long. It’s too long. And without your help it will keep growing.