Time for Transparency!

The Predatory Gambling legislation revealed the

warts and flaws of Beacon Hill with closed door

meetings, backroom deals, unfettered lobbyists'

access and total lack of public accountability.

I requested the report Senator Petrucelli commissioned

and was ignored. Senator Petrucelli is exempt from the

Public Records Law and you can't see the report your

tax dollars paid for.

The original article is here:

Senator Petrucelli sticks taxpayers with $500 million bill

It's time to work to change this.

Please consider signing the petition below to improve transparency

and share with your friends.

Thanks for all you do!

 

Tell the Legislature to Shine Light on Public Documents Take Action Today!

The Massachusetts Legislature just received a failing grade from the Sunlight Foundation for the transparency and accessibility on its website. There were many flaws that warranted the "F" grade. Committee and floor roll call votes are not posted on-line in a searchable format. The site is difficult to navigate. And historical information is often unavailable. This is unacceptable!

Please sign our petition calling for a better website and a more open and transparent legislature.

Sunlight released its legislative transparency report card as part of "Sunshine" week, a week dedicated to calling attention to the need for greater transparency in government. Common Cause is also highlighting the need for reform of our open records and open meetings laws to ensure that all of the government's business is conducted in public, and that public records requests do not cost more than a nominal amount.

Tell the legislature to improve its website and update our public records law for the 21st Century.

Efficient access to public records and on-line information is critical to holding our government accountable. With your help, we can push legislative leaders into passing needed reforms so that next time, Massachusetts can join our neighbors in Connecticut and New Hampshire in receiving an "A" grade.

Thanks for all you do.

Pam Wilmot
and the team at Common Cause Massachusetts

 

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Common Cause is a national nonpartisan organization with chapters in 35 states. Our mailing address is 1133 19th Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20036. Our phone number is (202) 833-1200.

Citizens Against Casino Gaming seek records

Citizens Against Casino Gaming seek records on Springfield consultant contract and costs

Published: Friday, September 21, 2012

By Peter Goonan, The Republican

Michael T. Kogut

SPRINGFIELD – Michael T. Kogut, chairman of Citizens Against Casino Gaming, announced on Friday that he has submitted a request for public records from the city, detailing its contract and all costs related to the hire of a casino consultant.

Kogut, in a letter to the Law Department, asked for a copy of the contract with the consultant, Shefsky & Froelich, of Chicago, and for all invoices and charges which the city has paid to date.

“Springfield taxpayers are entitled to know exactly how much is being paid to this out-of-state consultant with admitted ties to the casino industry for consultation for the purpose of bringing casino gambling to Springfield,” Kogut said.

The story will be updated

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/09/citizens_against_casino_gaming.html

Patrick’s petulance that the public would call ARROGANCE

Patrick’s petulance

By Boston Herald Editorial Staff
Wednesday, July 18, 2012

The subject of a particular public records request is almost immaterial. It is the Patrick administration’s reluctance to provide records in cases that might embarrass public officials — as well as Gov. Deval Patrick’s “none of your beeswax” attitude, on display Monday — that ought to infuriate the taxpayers of this state.

The administration in April refused the Herald’s request for parking records for the State House parking garage, where lawmakers and other public officials park (for nothing). The Herald appealed the denial to the secretary of state’s office, which has yet to rule. Fine.

But the governor bristles at a challenge.

“First of all, you’re not entitled to [the records],” Patrick told a Herald reporter at the State House on Monday.

Why, the reporter inquired.

“Because you’re not.”

Oh, well OK then.

That refusal came a few months after the administration refused to release itemized cell phone records for any of the 50 office staffers who use state-issued, taxpayer-funded cell phones, including Lt. Gov. Tim Murray. The administration has refused to produce records that might provide details of Murray’s cell phone activity in the hours before and after his early-morning car crash last November.

We’d argue that staff cell phone records are of vital public interest. But again, it’s not so much the subject of the records that is the source of outrage. It is the fact that this administration errs on the side of non-disclosure when it doesn’t care for the underlying request — or perhaps for the party making the request.

True, neither the governor’s office nor the Legislature is strictly subject to the state’s public records law, which itself is an outrage. But running requests through an embarrassment filter before deciding whether to fulfill them once again puts the lie to this administration’s claim of unprecedented transparency.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/opinion/editorials/view/20220718patricks_petulance/