Support Open Government: Celebrate Sunshine Week

Ever wonder how reporters dig up the information they do about the workings of city agencies, police departments, school boards and more?

Open government laws are some of the most important tools in a journalist's kit.

Today, for example, Elk Grove Patch received an email from the city of Elk Grove regarding a request we made a few weeks ago for records related to claims filed against the city. The email told us that the files are available, and spelled out exactly when we will receive them and how much we can expect to pay in photocopying costs (in this case, nothing).

It's not just that the folks on staff at the city are good people (though, in this case, we happen to think they are). City staff are actually required to respond this way under the California Public Records Act. And not just to professional journalists like us, but to any citizen who asks for records governed by the act.

Think about it. Want to know how much the city spent on trash collection last year? They have to tell you. What about the topics the school board discussed at its last three meetings, including the ones closed to the public? Yup, you're entitled to see those, too.

Of course, the process doesn't always run smoothly. Last month, for example, we asked the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office to tell us how many domestic violence cases in Elk Grove they had prosecuted over the last few years, and how many they'd won. Simple, right?

Not according to the D.A.'s Office, which said that a record of that data did not exist and on-staff computer programmers would have to spend hours tracking down the answer, all billable to us. The charges would most likely have run up to several hundred dollars—legal thanks to a loophole in the Act.

In general, our access to public records depends on the relative strength of the laws in our state, along with how committed officials are to complying with them. Without strong public records laws, we're all dependent on the whims of individual government officials—not exactly a recipe for a thriving democracy.

That's why this week, Elk Grove Patch is celebrating Sunshine Week, a national event launched in 2005 by the American Society of Newspaper Editors. Sunshine Week, March 13-19, promotes dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. Participants include news media, civic groups, libraries, nonprofits, schools and others interested in the public's right to know. There are games, proclamations and more.

Join us at Elk Grove Patch and spread a little sunshine around town. Here are a few ways to celebrate Sunshine Week. The first three are from SunshineWeek.org. We've added our own idea below.

1. Draft a Sunshine Week Open Government Proclamation

Sunshine Week 2011 can be a time when you as a citizen or civic organization make a difference by identifying local or state open government shortcomings and then asking your public officials to pledge and initiate specific improvements in local or state law and practice.

Take a look at a sample Sunshine Week Open Government Proclamation here. You can find more information at SunshineWeek.org.

2. Play the You’re A Ray of Sunshine Game
The Sunshine Week team designed this game to challenge you, help you have some fun and learn about why open government and freedom of information in the U.S. is to be cherished and held to high standards. Play it here.

3. Get Smart about the Public’s Right to Know
Read up. There are resources for teachers, including lesson plans so young people can participate. There’s  also a host of other resources on open government in the Sunshine Week Reading Room.

4. Join the Elk Grove Patch Sunshine Week Challenge

Is there a fact you'd like to know about the workings of local or state government? Tell us in the comment box below. We'll research and tell you whether public records laws give you the right to the information. We encourage readers to submit their own records requests to local and state agencies this week. Tell us about the responses you get, and we'll keep track of them on the site!