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Health & Fitness

Where do you stand on prop 42?

I wasn't sure what to make of it at first.  On the one hand it's heralded as open government, on the other it's about Sacramento shifting costs that they've long been paying. 

Here is a good link to view the basics.
http://www.smartvoter.org/2014/06/03/ca/state/prop/42/

Arguments Submitted to the Secretary of State Summary of Arguments FOR Proposition 42: Proposition 42 will cement in the Constitution the public's right to know what the government is doing and how it is doing it. Local agencies shouldn't be allowed to deny a request for public information or slam a meeting door shut based on cost. Vote YES on Proposition 42. Summary of Arguments AGAINST Proposition 42: Proposition 42 would amend the California Constitution to impose the cost of complying with the California Public Records Act and local open meeting laws upon the local governments involved. An alternative, not offered by this proposition, would be to impose the cost upon the state government. 


We need an open and transparent government on all levels, and though it can be annoying when a gadfly uses any provision to excess, constantly asking for copies of public records at a cost in supplies and man hours, that is simply the price of being a governmental agency.

What swayed me over the Yes side was what I read at Pando.com.


If 42 passes, and current polling indicates that it will, it will create an incentive for governments at all levels to preempt freedom of information requests and the costs of responding by simply publishing their data online.

“It would be a lot cheaper to release public information as data, rather than have someone at City Hall processing these requests and eventually Xeroxing swaths of information,” says Robb Korinke of Grassroots Lab, a public affairs firm that is supporting the measure.

Find out what's happening in Lake Elsinore-Wildomarwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

http://pando.com/2014/05/02/oh-the-things-prop-42-could-do-for-the-open-government-movement/

In the internet age, all information should be available 24-7 without having to ask for it. If this is the kick in the pants that local governments need to get that done, so be it or they just can start bearing the brunt of all associated costs themselves.

Find out what's happening in Lake Elsinore-Wildomarwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Let's hear your opinions on it, maybe I'm missing something obvious that I need to know.

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