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From The Tribune of Sunshine must keep shining on government An informed electorate is fundamental to democratic government and Florida is fortunate to operate under open government regulations that are a model for the nation. Yet every year scores of bills are introduced in the Legislature that would throw cloaks of secrecy over records to which the public deserves access as overseers of gov ernmental actions that impact the lives and livelihoods of Florida citizens. Under the Sunshine Amendment to the Florida Constitution and the state's Public Records Law and Open Meetings Law, all records and meetings of government are presumed open to the public unless specifi cally exempted by the Legislature, based on "public necessity." Some legislators and special interests, however, don't want the public to be looking over their shoulders. Whenever a bill is introduced that would request an exemption to the law, citizens should ask, "What are they trying to hide? And why?" In some cases there may be a legitimate need for closing some records, but in the vast majority of cases, the requested exemptions are merely to protect some bu reaucrats or administrators or other officials from opening themselves to account ability. As servants of the people of the state, however, they must be held accounta ble for their actions and that means the public must have access to records. The "war on terror" has added another dimension to the efforts by some to hide in formation that the public has a right to know. By claiming "security" needs, some try to withhold information even though that information may be available through other sources. Rarely do proposed exemp tions truly serve "public necessity." Florida's open records and open meetings laws were adopted because of public demand for them. They enhance the ability of citizens to know what their government is doing and enhance the quality of govern ment. Citizens, however, must be con stantly vigilant to protect their rights from being eroded. Fortunately, legislators who maintain an appreciation for "government in the sunshine" help to defeat the most onerous of proposed exemptions. There are no assurances, however, that those success ful efforts will always be maintained. Today, the Tribune joins newspapers throughout Florida in "Sunshine Sunday," a day to remind readers of the importance of open government and to remind legislators that open government best serves their constituents. Let us continue to demand that the sun keep shining on Florida government. |
