From BlueNC.com (7/31/10): On the heels of last week's reflections on the psychological impact of transparency in government, an exploration of the natural and legal challenges associated with opening up government is in order.
I sat down with Elon University Associate Provost Dr. Connie Book the other day, who also serves as the Executive Director of the NC Open Government Coalition’s Sunshine Center. The interview was illuminating to say the least, and I’d like to share with you some of the things Connie and I discussed.
While you may not be familiar with the Sunshine Center itself, you’ve probably read some of their press releases, which often use weather references such as a “cloud of darkness”. That specific phrase is (unfortunately) the way they describe our General Assembly. Here’s more:
The necessity of an informed citizenry is a core value of each organization participating in the North Carolina Open Government Coalition. Democracy functions best when citizens know what government is doing; this requires access both to public records and to the public decision-making process. The people have an unalienable right of participation in and access to the governments that they have instituted among themselves.