Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Pot store threatens bank loan ... Mail Tribune 100, Jan. 3, 1916 ... Armed protesters occupy Malheur wildlife refuge building ... Pot store threatens bank loan ... Mail Tribune 100, Jan. 3, 1916 ... Armed protesters occupy Malheur wildlife refuge building ... OUR VIEW Our View: Don't wait on public records reform Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Apr. 29, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Apr. 29, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Six weeks. That's a month and a half. It would seem to be more than enough time to produce a government record requested by a member of the public. But local government officials say that is such an onerous deadline that public employees could meet it only by neglecting other duties. "It really gets to be a matter of which state statute are you going to ignore," the city manager of Mount Angel told legislators in Salem Monday. Some small local governments have limited staff who perform multiple functions. But providing public records is a government function, perhaps one of the most important, because it allows the public to find out what their government is doing and how. Sharing information in a timely fashion increases public confidence in government; stalling and resisting increases distrust. The six-week standard is contained in a bill sponsored by Rep. Julie Parrish, R-West Linn, who wants to strengthen public records laws in the wake of the resignation of Gov. John Kitzhaber amid allegations of influence-peddling. Delays in releasing public records relating to the activities of Kitzhaber and his fiancée, Cylvia Hayes, became an issue during the time leading up to his resignation. Bills sponsored by Parrish and others introduced by Democratic Gov. Kate Brown are under consideration, and the Kitzhaber scandal provided the impetus. But the objections being raised by local government officials have nothing to do with Kitzhaber and everything to do with resisting a vital public service. And the proposed changes in deadlines and limits on fees that may be charged are not new. The same objections were raised when then-Attorney General John Kroger tried to overhaul public records laws in the 2011 legislative session, and the reforms failed. This time, partisan politics is playing a role — and it shouldn't. Kitzhaber is a Democrat, as are his successor and the majority of members of both houses of the Legislature. Republican-sponsored bills got a hearing Monday, but the committee took no action. Brown's package of legislation is likely to get a warmer reception, but she is proposing not immediate reform but an audit of state agencies' policies first, leading to concrete proposals for the 2016 Legislature. That's disappointing, and a needless delay. Problems with government responses to public records requests have been evident for years. Democratic lawmakers should put aside partisan considerations and act now to make government more transparent. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Apr. 29, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501