Open Records Veto

This is the link for the recent Daily News editorial faulting the guv for his veto of House/Senate bills broadening the open records requirement. It is, as always, well written & I won't try to improve on what professionals have written (unless I disagree). Local guvs could direct their departments to follow this lege- and they should. It just would not have the force of law behind it (state law trumps local). It would have the force of the local budget, though.

It would certainly negate Middletown's silly reg that the Council has knowledge and access to ANY public records that you requested & would know that you requested it. It especially shares this info with any Councilor seeking records. No, I'm not making this up.

Public information is just that- public. We all have the right to access these records quickly & at minimal cost. They are OUR records, after all. When I go into the Newport Clerk's office, I immediately see a posting that to access records you must simply fill out a form & pay costs. I don't see that in Middletown. You do need to write your name, though. Why? What happened to privacy? You give that up when you ask for public records? I think not.

Hey, I didn't vote for him. BTW, the Newport Daily News endorsed him.