Minority of candidates pledge to support open government (Maine)

Minority of candidates pledge to support open government

AUGUSTA (Oct 28): In early September, the Maine Freedom of Information Coalition challenged all candidates for the Maine Senate and House of Representatives to sign the coalition's pledge to support open government and public access.

 

The response has been mixed.

"The MFOIC believes that freedom of speech, open meetings of government and access to public records are fundamental tenets of democracy," said MFOIC President Mal Leary. "We would like to believe candidates for the Legislature agree, but relatively few of the 371 House and Senate candidates have signed the pledge to support Maine's long tradition of openness."

Candidates for the state Senate had the best response rate, with 40 percent of the candidates signing the pledge. Among House candidates, 24 percent of all the candidates signed the pledge.

Area legislators and candidates who have signed the pledge include: Sen. Carol Weston, a Montville Republican, who represents Waldo County; Seth Yentes, a Monroe Democrat, who is a candidate in House District 42; Rep. Jayne Giles, a Belfast Republican, who represents House District 43; and Andrew O'Brien, a Lincolnville Democrat, who is a candidate in House District 44.

The MFOIC mailed pledge forms to each legislative candidate and has posted the names and districts of all candidates that signed the pledge on its Web site, mfoic.org. Candidates may still sign the pledge by email and be listed on the Web site.

"It is important for us all to know that the people we elect as our personal representatives are pledging to uphold our right to access government," said Judy Meyer, vice president of the MFOIC. "These pledges serve as a personal guarantee that we are electing people who will honor Maine's right-to-know law, which is our best guarantee of government transparency and accountability."

When Maine's Freedom of Access Act became law in 1959, the Legislature declared "public proceedings exist to aid in the conduct of the people's business. It is the intent of the Legislature that their actions be taken openly and that the records of their actions be open to public inspection and their deliberations be conducted openly."

Since that first measure became law, though, legislators have enacted hundreds of exceptions to it.

The Maine Freedom of Information Coalition believes government best serves the public when it operates in the most open manner possible. Members of the coalition, which include media organizations, lawyers, academicians, public-policy groups and like-minded individuals, strive to ensure the public is informed about government actions to the fullest extent possible.

The MFOIC will continue to update its Web site through Election Day and urges Mainers to see if their local candidates have signed the open government pledge.

 
 

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