EDITORIAL Florida Gov. Rick Scott sends mixed messages about his commitment to open government. On the one hand, the governor has signed executive orders advancing, or vetoed bills limiting, the public’s access to state documents. On the other hand, Scott continues to insist on a paywall for members of the public who request these documents…
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BY BETTY PARKER With all the attention given a Florida law that exempts community college employees’ evaluations from being subject to the public records law, there’s some question over how such a narrow, specific exemption came into being. No other groups in all the education world were exempted, just those in community colleges. And how…
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BY TERRY EBERLE What are public officials afraid of? Why do they spend so much time fighting openness? Let the sunshine in. The latest example is with Edison State College. We have been asking for public records for more than 10 weeks and they are just dribbling in a few at a time. Now we…
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EDITORIAL Gov. Rick Scott has been criticized for failing to support Florida’s strong legacy of open government, but he could rebut his critics by vetoing bills making it harder for the press or citizens to check out suspicious deaths, abuse of seniors and public airport records. It’s a chance for Scott to redeem his vow…
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BY TERRY EBERLE Freedom is not for the weak, poor or uninterested. It takes money and tenacity. Florida has one of the strongest open-records laws in all of the U.S. It is part of our Constitution and must be defended each and every year. It is your law and mine. It allows you to see…
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