newsobserver.com projects - HB1134-09 - Comments

Re: House votes in favor of records bill

cicero01 — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:37:11 -0400

The NC House has created "Big Brother" --Yes, an entity that will always let us know what we need to know.

NC HOUSE CREATES "NEW OPEN GOVERNMENT UNIT" WHO IF CHALLENGED LEGAL FEES SHALL NEVER BE AWARDED TO THE PLAINTIFF.

---- What a "chilling effect" on North Carolina's public policy of JUDICIAL REVIEW.

---- Bill elevates AG advisory opinions to equal status with law.

---- Discourages judicial review and creates a "pay to play game" in challenged cases.

Please know that Attorney General decisions [opinions] and crafted letters on transparency are merely advisory. Preexisting judicial orders and appellate decisions are however rule of law--and can be invoked as such. This bill elevates the AG advisory opinions to equal status with law.

Please know that judicial review is public policy. Yet, this bill discourages judicial review--for governments need never reimburse in most cases legal expenses even if judicial review is sought and won.

So, what was the N.C. Press Association thinking?

Re: House votes in favor of records bill

Isaac136 — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:42:22 -0400

The reason the bill is necessary in the first place is that so many officials do not act with integrity. If Easley's administration hasn't been a stellar example of that fact then what would it take to demonstrate that more rather then fewer tools are needed to combat entrenched corruption?

The AG's office sees its role as supporting a state agency preference regardless of the legality or integrity of its position. There's not a soul in state government with any experience near the top of the food chain who isn't well aware of that, and there's not a soul who wants his or her job to remain secure who is going to step forward and say so.

Entrenched corruption in state government is the natural result of any one party's holding power for an extended length of time. If the Democrats aren't going to follow Rep. Deborah Ross' lead in cleaning it up, they're handing the GOP some mighty good arguments for unseating them.

Re: Records bill has foes

j1c2kp — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:09:36 -0400

This should be a non-issue, citizens and media should not have to sue to obtain public records. But since they do in some cases, then their legal fees should be paid by the public office that has refused to do their job.

Re: Records bill has foes

JPQuick — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:18:17 -0400

Providing transparency in government would empower the population to question where $18 billion in tax dollars are spent every year.

Questions might also be raised about the macroeconomic impact of introducing a $1.6 billion tax increase in the middle of the worst recession since the Great Depression.

Lobbyists don't like questions, unless they have been scripted by the political machine that controls this state.

For Bev Perdue, the needs of those 1500 lobbyists take precedence over the needs of the electorate.

This bill will not pass while Beverly Perdue is still in office.