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To the Editor: Why Open Government Matters
By Jim PetroOhio Attorney GeneralTO THE EDITOR: Citizen participation in government is a cornerstone of the American democracy. The ability for each person to speak his or her mind about the policies and actions of government is one of the most treasured American rights, and for this reason, access to government-held information is as much an inalienable right as freedom of expression. Access to public records facilitates the ability of citizens to participate in, as well as be informed about, the running of their government.Recently, the Ohio Coalition for Open Government sponsored an audit conducted by 42 newspapers, the Associated Press, two radio stations, Ohio University and the University of Dayton. In the audit, more than 90 people requested public records from various public offices throughout the state. Only about half of the time were the records promptly made available in compliance with the law.This audit should be used as a springboard toward placing a greater priority on educating and training all public employees to improve compliance with the Ohio Sunshine Laws. I believe that this mission requires a concerted statewide effort to better serve the citizens who have a right to be informed about the acts of their government.The Public Records Unit within my office has historically served as a resource on the Sunshine Laws. The unit publishes annual editions of An Ohio Sunshine Laws Update -"the Yellow Book"- a manual that provides information about the laws for public offices and the public. This publication is free and is available in hard copy, on CD-ROM, and on my web site at www.ag.state.oh.us.Building on the resources already available, Rep. Scott Oelslager (R-Canton) and I are planning to review the Sunshine Laws with the goal of introducing legislative changes that will help improve openness in government.In addition, I am co-sponsoring public seminars around Ohio in conjunction with the Ohio Newspaper Association to provide a forum for citizens, public officials and media groups to discuss how to comply with the Sunshine Laws. The seminars, to take place around the state beginning in August, will help clarify the rights and responsibilities those laws entail.As a tool for promoting access to government, the Ohio Public Records Act may seem to benefit only professional journalists. A closer examination of the law shows that this is not the case. Citizen-watchdog groups use it to ensure that the government is following the will of the people. Research organizations use the act to examine the effect of public policies on various aspects of society. Individuals take advantage of access rules to keep tabs on their elected and appointed officials or to protect their property interests.More often than not, the beneficiaries of open access to public information are not just the professional news-gathering organizations, but the common citizens who use the authority to gain access to the government of the people.In signing the federal Freedom of Information Act, President Lyndon B. Johnson succinctly summed up the rationale for such a law. "This legislation springs from one of our most essential principles: a democracy works best when the people have all the information that the security of the nation permits," the president said in 1964. "No one should be able to pull curtains of secrecy around decisions which can be revealed without injury to the public interest."These words are as true today as they were 40 years ago."