Let the Sunshine in!

Over the last few weeks I have learned more about enforcement of the Sunshine Laws than I ever wanted to know. "What are the Sunshine Laws?", you ask. Well, the Sunshine Laws are the laws that have been put in place to ensure that public entities such as government agencies and school boards are required to meet, deliberate, and vote in public. This should enable them to be accountable to the taxpayers. There are a very limited number of reasons that a board can meet away from the public according to the Sunshine Law. As you read the reasons, it is clear that the spirit of the law is to protect the rights of private citizens. It would seem that the Sunshine Law should be very effective in holding public agencies accountable.

However, enforcement of the Sunshine Laws is a completely different matter. This is the only law that I'm aware of that requires a citizen to pay to have it enforced. There is no governmental agency that is responsible for its enforcement. Should a public agency break the Sunshine Laws, the only recourse is to file a complaint in Common Pleas Court. To do this, there is a filing fee. If you file pro se, the chances are good that you will lose. The public agency will certainly have an attorney. If you get an attorney, you will have to pay for that attorney out of pocket.

So, what if you decide to "fight city hall"? What happens to them if its found that they broke the Sunshine Laws? Well, they get a "do-over"! The court will give you an injunction to make them fix the problem. Which means, in effect, that they will have to vote again. That's it! That's all! If the court finds that the board members intentionally broke the Sunshine Law, they can be fined. Well, you say, that seems reasonable. It does seem reasonable until you learn that they are fined ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS! Are you kidding me?!

I forgot to get my car inspected last year and I was fined $125. Yet the cost for intentional abuse of power and flouting the law by a board members is only ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS? How are penalties of this nature going to dissuade board members of public agencies from doing whatever they would like to do in secret then simply paying a small fine and revoting in public?

Take a look at the story of what occurred at Owen J. Roberts School District in PA, http://www.thefactsaboutojrsd.com/. This school Board didn't care what the taxpayers in the district wanted. They had their own agenda. Someone in the district did care enough to hire an attorney to take them to court. To what end? The taxpayers still didn't get what they wanted. Now, the former superintendent, who the Board fired in a meeting that lasted until after midnight, is suing the district. Defending this suit is going to take money from the taxpayers, whose opinion the Board completely ignored.

Please take a moment to write to your state legislators. Ask them to review enforcement of the Sunshine Laws. Ask them to hold the boards of public agencies more accountable for breaking the law than they would hold you for forgetting to get your car inspected. These agencies are funded by your tax dollars. The only reason to make decisions in secret is because those making the decisions know that they aren't sound decisions. Penalize the people who are intentionally making bad decisions with your tax dollars.

It is time not only to Let the Sunshine in but to offer severe penalties for those who choose to make decisions in the dark.

Watching my health?

Well, I haven't visited my blog in a while. Today, however, I couldn't restrain myself!

My daughter was reading aloud an article that she found on www.popeater.com discussing the possibility of putting healthier snacks in theatres. Are you kidding me? I don't know when the keepers of my health were appointed but I think its time they realize that they aren't welcome!

Maybe a better suggestion would be to suggest that theatre owners permit "outside snacks" in their theatres? If that were done, those who wish to munch on apples and carrots during Titanic could do so. Those of us who consider movie theatre popcorn and raisinets to be part of the whole experience would have the right to continue to enjoy the age-old traditions that we've come to love.

These health gurus who impose their opinions on me do more damage by raising my blood pressure than the movie theatre popcorn could ever do to me!

When the City of Philadelphia focused their time and attention on removing transfats from my fast food and baked goods, I was appalled. If you want to keep me alive longer, get the heroine dealers out of our neighborhoods, the gun toting thugs off the street, the slumlords out of business, and the creeps who never get their hands dirty selling the guns and the drugs in jail! Transfats aren't nearly as certain to kill me as bullet through my brain during a drug money seeking home invasion or mugging.

Then, these health gurus decided that smoking in the bar had to be stopped. Did it ever occur to these social engineers that adults should have the option to smoke or not to smoke? Should you wish to go to a bar without smoke, then find a non-smoking bar! How difficult is that concept?

Concern about my best interests? Are you kidding me?! These folks are imposing their opinions on other adults and we are behaving like sheep! What are you going to do when they decide that cars are a danger to your health pass legislation to forbid you to drive your car? How about you hop on your bike to go to work?

As we allow the government to legislate more and more of our lives, and continue to defend them because they are acting in our best interests, we are creeping closer and closer to destroying the concept of democracy and independent decision making completely.

I think while they're watching my health, I'll rush to the movie theater to watch "Shutter Island" with a huge tub of buttered popcorn and a giant box of raisinets, while I'm still allowed to have them!