|
Sunshine: Safeguarding the Public Trust By Charlie Crist Nearly two centuries ago, statesman Henry Clay wrote that government is a trust and the officers of the government are trustees. As Clay saw it, both the trust and the trustees are created for the benefit of the people. The world has changed a great deal since Henry Clay penned these words. But one thing has remained constant: The people’s right to know is the foundation of our democracy. Knowledge empowers every citizen with the ability to hold government officials accountable for the decisions they make on the people’s behalf. Only through knowledge can the people ensure that the officials who serve as their trustees are acting in the public interest. Over the years the Sunshine and Public Records laws have opened the doors to governmental proceedings and records all over Florida. Each day, Floridians from Pensacola to the Keys use these laws to improve their communities. They attend commission meetings, serve on advisory councils and research and report on government programs. Through their efforts, Florida public officials are held accountable to the people they serve. Some say that our strict Sunshine Laws make government less efficient. But open government provides the means for government officials to be better stewards of the public trust. The open government laws give all Floridians the opportunity to obtain the information needed to support programs that work and to replace those that do not. In the long run, everyone benefits from the accountability that these laws provide. Knowledge enables public officials and the citizens they serve to learn from the past and prepare for the future. In 1992, the people of Florida overwhelmingly voted to enshrine open government within our state constitution. In so doing, they acted to protect the right of access for themselves and generations to come. The constitutional amendment complements our Sunshine Laws in helping to safeguard the people's ability to obtain knowledge which they need in order to become actively involved in governmental proceedings at all levels. As Abraham Lincoln recognized a century and a half ago, the people's will is the guiding force in a true democracy. Florida’s open government laws help to ensure that President Lincoln's extraordinary vision of a government of the people, by the people and for the people will stand the test of time.
Charlie Crist is Florida's 35th Attorney General. Prior to assuming that office in January 2003, he served as Florida's Education Commissioner. |
