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SUNSHINE WEEK! Hoping for MORE sunshine!

SUNSHINE WEEK! Hoping for MORE sunshine!

THANKS to The Janesville Gazette for its reports on OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS over the past year as we move into “SUNSHINE WEEK”! We need to be be sure that we maintain the ETERNAL VIGILANCE which is truly the PRICE OF LIBERTY! YOU will want to read page 2A in today’s Gazette to gain information with perspective on requests made by the Gazette and complemented by Ann Marie Ames’ article, “Local officials rarely fight open records requests.” What experiences have you had in filing for OPEN RECORDS? I have NOT had the GOOD experience which Ann Marie Ames reports – I have found some local officials trying to HIDE records which according to WI State Law should be open. Delays. Costs for copying documents. (WI State Law limits, but keep your eyes open and check the bill.) What’s the secret? I think Ann Marie Ames had the BENEFIT of representing The Janesville Gazette/Bliss Communications. Correct, Ann Marie? What do you think? There is NO LESS need for “ETERNAL VIGILANCE” today than ever… forewarned is forearmed!

The theme of the national SUNSHINE WEEK is “YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW.” For additional information, check SUNSHINE WEEK website.

I was very interested to learn that the National President of American Society of News Editors which sponsors SUNSHINE WEEK is MARTIN KAISER of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He is giving leadership for the identifying of the LOCAL HEROES contest winners to be announced TODAY (3/15). The work of these LOCAL HEROES demonstrates the real need for “ETERNAL VIGILANCE” to protect our LIBERTY! Watch for the stories about their work – check the SUNSHINE WEEK website.

The Wisconsin State Journal has had a special link posted which provides SUNSHINE into our University of Wisconsin system through its link to the UW REDBOOK – as the WSJ reports, “UW System Salaries Search - This database contains budgeted salaries for all UW employees for the fiscal year 2009-10, released annually by the university as part of its Redbook budget publication. You can use it to find the budgeted salary and funding source for any staff member in the whole UW System.” Very interesting! NOTE to K-12 public school teachers – most UW instructors earn less than the average K-12 public school teacher in WI and most of them have the PhD. A couple of my UW colleagues have chosen to move into K-12 teaching to INCREASE their compensation. NOTE: K-12 public school teachers are NOT subject to the Governor's FURLOUGH program while UW faculty & staff are victims of pay cuts through the Governor's FURLOUGH program. Talk about “comparatives”?

IF you need additional documentation of the NEED for and IMPORTANCE of the PUBLIC RECORDS LAWS, be sure you read “Shine light on public records,” the Wisconsin State Journal’s editorial today. Check out the specific examples of citizens working to get OPEN RECORDS. I agree with the WSJ’s editorial, “The right of the people to monitor the people's business is one of the core principles of democracy. Tell your elected officials this week to uphold your right to know.”

KEEP the SUN SHINING not only through this SUNSHINE WEEK but every week of the whole year for the healthiness of our republican democracy! "Government of the people, by the people and for the people."

Here we go…

Mr. E.

John Eyster lives in the Edgerton area. He is an adjunct professor of political science at UW-Waukesha and an advocate for democracy/civics education in Wisconsin high schools. John is a community blogger and is not a part of Janesville Gazette staff. His opinion is not necessarily that of the Janesville Gazette staff or management.