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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Tennessee man charged with stealing back car from Central Point towyard Emergency services, March 4 Gold Hill will install cameras in City Hall to monitor employees Lion sanctuary in Phoenix could be shut down Siskiyou County murder suspect will return to California Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Tennessee man charged with stealing back car from Central Point towyard Emergency services, March 4 Siskiyou County murder suspect will return to California Ashland man faces multiple charges Emergency Services, March 3 Politics and Elections Ashland: Budget increase, swimming pool funding discussion on council agenda Judge upholds Phoenix's moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries Ballots on Jackson County marijuana tax go out Friday Brown's inauguration brings hope to local lawmakers Kate Brown sworn in as Oregon's 38th governor Education Medford schools superintendent gets high marks St. Mary's robotics team qualifies for state competition LIFEArt plans to open gallery in Medford MSD considers adding a health center at one of the city's high schools Absenteeism in Oregon schools prompts bill that would tie funding to attendance, not enrollment Environment The new normal under climate change? Lost Creek Lake algae bloom subsides Lost Creek Lake logjam could become hazard for boaters Made in the Shade Controlled burn planned for Ashland watershed on Friday State News Oregon House OKs bill to allow workers to discuss wages College aviation program takes flight in Klamath Falls Oregon traveler who was detained in East Timor headed home Appeals court upholds protection for threatened seabird after timber industry challenge Oregon House votes to ban sale of e-cigarettes to minors Nation - World Obituaries Dennis Orie Peugh David V. Sprunger Kenneth Teske Leora Ellen Kenton Gordon I. Bentson Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Bank of America is predicting a massive Tesla collapse Mars One attracts science fiction geeks and people who hate society This $1 million Mercedes is like an armored private jet for the road Sports Latest Stories Raiders place four on all-conference team South boys cruise by McMinnville Tornado breaks through with win James moves past Allen in Cavs' win Crater boys fall short in 5A play-in game Varsity 541 College Sports Raiders place four on all-conference team No. 1 Kentucky rallies to avoid first defeat Coyotes hold off SOU for championship Faster tempo evident in first OSU practice Hungry Ducks pleased but not satisfied Pro Sports James moves past Allen in Cavs' win Eagles deal running back McCoy for Bills' Alonso A's switch-pitcher hopes to find a role Kersey remembered at service Tempers flare in Heat win over Suns Community Sports Business Latest Stories CEO Rieder leaving Erickson March 31 Harry & David announces new president Ride & Drive: 2015 Chrysler 300 Local businesses still feeling effects of port slowdown Blog: Costco teams up with Citi for its next credit card Real Estate News Housing prices climb 9 percent in Jackson County Big plans on the Butte People In Business People in Business: Feb. 28 People in Business People in Business Transportation CEO Rieder leaving Erickson March 31 Lodging gains bode well for travel industries Medford airport flies past January record Agriculture Harry & David announces new president Warm winter has fruit growers poised for action Briefcase: Business briefs for Feb. 21 1-800-Flowers dumps Harry & David execs Opinion Latest Our View: Small climate steps add up to big ones Letters to the Editor, March 4 Kathleen Parker: The GOP — A tragedy in 52 acts Landgren cartoon: Speeding up baseball Letters to the Editor, March 3 Editorials Our View: Small climate steps add up to big ones Our View: Drawing back the curtain on government Other Views: Brown's list of challenges is lengthy Our View: School attendance bill could backfire Our View: Higher education still getting too little Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, March 4 Letters to the Editor, March 3 Letters to the Editor, March 2 Letters to the Editor, March 1 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 28 Columns Kathleen Parker: The GOP — A tragedy in 52 acts Michael Gerson: Scott Walker's cynical comments on faith Kent Bush: Minnie Minoso was famous for the right reasons Dana Milbank: Jeb Bush, CPAC pinata Charles Krauthammer: The fatal flaw in the Iran deal Guest Opinions GUEST OPINION: Police, community should work to prevent profiling Guest Opinion: Don't overregulate Oregon's hemp industry Guest Opinion: Predatory banking practices bilk citizens Guest Opinion: Is less education the answer? Guest Opinion: Bill would shore up legal aid funding Lifestyle Latest stories Lost in Suburbia: The tooth, the whole tooth and nothing but the tooth 5 Things to Do This Weekend (March 6-8) Dear Monty: Home seller seeks to start bidding war Dave Ramsey: What does ‘first right of refusal’ mean? Pantry pride Food Pantry pride Tips for a Pacific Northwest crab feed Prudence Hilburn: Butternut squash a suitable stand-in for sweet potatoes Community blog: Pizza is a canvas for season's freshest veggies Food for Thought: Get creative with after-school snacks Home and Garden Dear Monty: Home seller seeks to start bidding war Paul Rogers: Looking for signs of new life Home Help: Enhance your home-office experience Specialty painting adds wow to your walls Dear Monty: Home seller questions agent ethics Health HealthStyle: Marriage care and maintenance Community blog: How I Became Radical: The Power of Acceptance Community blog: The Guest List: Check! Health Watch: Sticking to your health plan when your family isn’t helping Community blog: Finding Your Indomitable Spirit to Defeat Addiction Hiking Biking Faith Religion briefs, Feb. 27 Religion briefs: Friday, Feb. 20 Religion News: Pope makes surprise shantytown visit Religion briefs: Friday, Feb. 13 RELIGION BRIEFS, Feb. 6 Milestones and Achievements Anniversary: Hofer New arrivals: Sunday, Feb. 8 Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories SOU Percussion Group presents 'Timber' TMTO presents 'Bye Bye Birdie' Ashland High School presents 'Leading Ladies' Live Music in Local Clubs HAPA plays the Historic Ashland Armory Theater Review: 'Fingersmith' a twisting thriller with love 'Guys and Dolls' a sure bet for dazzling entertainment 'She Stoops' rises on SOU stage TMTO presents 'Bye Bye Birdie' Review: OSF elevates the neglected 'Pericles' Music SOU Percussion Group presents 'Timber' Ashland High School presents 'Leading Ladies' Rogue Valley Symphony showcases Anton Bruckner and Richard Wagner Live Music in Local Clubs HAPA plays the Historic Ashland Armory Community Events Third Fridays showcases local artists Southern Oregon Rod and Custom Show Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Jacksonville celebrates Chinese New Year Dining Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, March 1 Great Outdoor Grill offers healthful options Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015 Saigon Xich Lo Vietnamese cuisine The zwickels shall flow Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines/Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Our View: Small climate steps add up to big ones ... Tennessee man charged with stealing back car from Central Point towyard ... Review: 'Fingersmith' a twisting thriller with love ... Our View: Small climate steps add up to big ones ... Tennessee man charged with stealing back car from Central Point towyard ... Review: 'Fingersmith' a twisting thriller with love ... OUR VIEW Our View: Drawing back the curtain on government MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 1, 2015 @ 12:01 am Posted Mar. 1, 2015 @ 12:01 am What do you think? --> Have an opinion on this topic? Send a letter to the editor at www.mailtribune.com/sendletter or email ... » Read more X What do you think? Have an opinion on this topic? Send a letter to the editor at www.mailtribune.com/sendletter or email [email protected] . » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Gov. John Kitzhaber's resignation just as the 2015 legislative session was getting under way was unfortunate, but the timing also could yield benefits for Oregon government, if lawmakers seize the opportunity to make some needed changes. Gov. Kate Brown says she intends to pursue some reforms, and one Republican lawmaker in particular has announced plans to introduce a variety of ethics bills in the wake of the scandal that ended Kitzhaber's political career. For the most part, Oregon's political history has not been marred by the kind of systemic corruption common in other states. To some degree, that is the result of Oregon's public records and public meetings laws. Once among the strongest in the country, those laws have been weakened little by little over the years as lawmakers carved out exemptions. Former Attorney General John Kroger launched an ambitious effort to overhaul the statutes, but the legislation died under pressure from the public agencies that would have been affected by the changes. Among those changes was a proposal to set short deadlines on responses of public agencies to requests for public records. That's also among the proposals of Rep. Julie Parrish, R-West Linn. Governor Brown says she, too, supports more timely releases of public records, and has vowed her office will quickly catch up on public records requests that Kitzhaber allowed to accumulate for months. Other changes being discussed are strengthening the state Ethics Commission by increasing its funding and giving it more independence from the governor; banning the governor's family and staff from earning outside money for work related to state government, and giving the Legislature the power to impeach the governor. Oregon is the only state that does not provide that power. None of these ideas has yet been drafted into bill form, and the Legislature has plenty of business already on its plate, not the least of which is adopting a budget for the next two years. But these reforms are too important to put off until some future session, when the sense of urgency has faded. At the same time, lawmakers should be careful not to enact drastic changes before they have a better idea of what actually occurred within the Kitzhaber administration. Despite the governor's resignation, no criminal charges have been filed and no wrongdoing has been proven. The most important reform is to draw back the curtain, to limit the ability of officials to shut out the sunlight that ensures government is functioning in the public interest. Strengthening public records rules is a good place to start, and those changes should apply to all of government, not just to the governor's office. Straying into ethical gray areas or crossing the line into real conflicts of interest is more difficult when the public can see what its elected officials are up to.      MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 1, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » 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. 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 Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs 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. 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