So much for transperancy.
Today's Boston Globe has an article about how the legislature prepares its budget. Most of it is done behind close doors away from public scrutiny. The article has a quote from Common Cause Massachusetts Executive Director Pam Wilmot. "It is all closed doors, from soup to nuts," said Pamela Wilmot, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts. "I don't think there's another state -- at least I haven't come across another state -- that has a similar process that is closed to the extent this one is." (Someone should explain to lobbyist Jackson C. Hall that democracy depends on openness which includes public debates.)
Every taxpayer should be outraged by this. Other states are recognizing the value of open government; Massachusetts is still back in the 20th (19th?) century. When are the legislators going to stop patronizing the voting public? When is the voting public going to start holding the legislators accountable?
Every taxpayer should be outraged by this. Other states are recognizing the value of open government; Massachusetts is still back in the 20th (19th?) century. When are the legislators going to stop patronizing the voting public? When is the voting public going to start holding the legislators accountable?
2 Comments:
Advocate for the release of the Council stenographic machine output transcription. With respect to transparency we should advocate for the routine disclosure of the City Council stenographic machine output transcription. In order to do it new Council stenographic services need to be obtained that have more up to date software. The current stenographic services have been with the city for several administrations without adequate review. More up to date stenographic services use software that make Councilors' remarks and debate available the same day of the Council's public meetings. That way we can comment on those remarks and debate with the draft the software transcribed from the stenographic machine output. It would allow for better communication between public spirited civic minded people and their Council representation. It's about time we put a stop to the routine withholding of public information at City Hall. Another aspect of it is that newer software used by more up to date stenographic services would make closed captioning available on the Council meetings' broadcast on the web and on cable television at http://cityofboston.gov/citycouncil
In July, 2007, a citizen filed an open meeting law violation complaint with the Worcester County District Attorney alleging that the Fitchburg City Council knowingly violated the Open Meeting Law through secret meetings with one bargaining unit that affected a second bargaining unit. The complainant also alleged that the violation was an example of a pattern of meetings, emails and phone calls outside public meeting designed specifically to reach decisions outside open meeting. The DA screened out the complaint. Information on this complaint can be found here:
http://fitchburgvoice.blogspot.com/2007/07/complaint-to-da-councilors-broke-open.html#links
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