Yes on California Proposition 42

California has open public meetings and records laws. Proposition 42 makes clear that local governments and agencies must follow these laws. They are good laws. Every state should enact them, and there should be federal similar federal laws.

These laws due impose some burdens and costs on agencies and governments. However, these costs a tiny compared to the benefits of openess.

Proposition 42 fixes a flaw in the current situation. In some cases the State picked up the costs of compliance. In some cases Agencies and localities used lack of funding to refuse to comply with the law.

California Proposition 42 makes the Brown Act and California Public Records Act work the way most laws work. The law is the law. The costs of complying with the law are to be paid by the local units of government. There is no need for a bureaucratic system for the State to reimburse local government for doing what local governments should do anyway.

Local governments and agencies should not see the open meetings and records laws as a burden. Members of the public want to help insure there is good government. To get an accurate picture of a situation, and to base good judgment on it, they need access to meetings and public records. The more citizens keep an eye on local boards, the less room the boards have for corruption and just plain poor decision making.

Vote Yes on California Proposition 42 in the June 3, 2014 primary

See also: California Official Voter Guide Proposition 42