An Arizona judge has, thankfully, ruled in favor of transparent government in a case in which a school district actually tried to argue that public-records requests are –get this — a NUISANCE.
The Congress Elementary School District had asked Yavapai County Superior Court Judge David Mackey earlier this month to permanently ban Cyndi Regis, Barbara Rejon, Jean Warren and Jennifer Hoge from ever asking the school district for public records or filing complaints against the district without first getting permission from a court-appointed third party. Congress is a town north of Wickenburg with a population of slightly more than 2,000.
Hats off to the Goldwater Institute, Arizona’s free-market think tank, which defended the women free of charge, and which is a staunch supporter of transparency in government.
The John Locke Foundation also advocates for transparency in government. This special Web site — www.nctransparency.com — is dedicated to informing the public about online access to public documents at all levels of government. If you want to learn about the level of commitment your city, county, or school board has to giving you online access to its checkbook and other documents, you’ll find the information here.
