Growing pains for PA Office of Open Records

A couple of editorials published in Pennsylvania newspapers this week offer examples of the growing pains for the new Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says the new law doesn't go far enough in requiring school districts to keep the public informed about contract proposals.

From the editorial:

School boards can voluntarily disclose the terms of contract proposals. If they feel like it. So much for transparency.

The General Assembly must solve this perennial problem once and for all by creating overarching legislation demanding that all school district contracts be made public before they are adopted.

Transparency prior to a done deal is the best deal for taxpayers.

Read "Teacher contracts: Let the sunshine in" at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Web site.

The Pottstown Mercury says that the new agency has been flooded by requests, some frivolous, but it's doing the best it can to enforce the state's revised open-records law.

From the editorial:

The Office of Open Records is in place to help people understand those rights and exercise them to become more informed citizens, whether their question is with a local school board or the state Legislature.

Director Terry Mutchler said the office is already overworked, a positive sign that public officials and their constituents are working to make government dealings more transparent.

Keep up the good work.

Read "Office of Open Records has busy start enforcing new public access laws" at The Mercury Web site.

For more about the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records, visit its Web site.