David Jamison

Government Officials Should Not View The Public As An Annoyance

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My role as executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council has taken me from border to border in our state. The message I’ve preached at each stop is a simple one: Transparency is a fundamental part of good government, and government officials risk undermining their respect and credibility when they try to minimize their accountability to the citizens. Two recent events in Iowa illustrate the soundness of my sermon. Those events show that transparency often turns out to be elusive — especially when officials worry about being embarrassed or about the potential fallout from an informed public. Randy Evans
STRAY THOUGHTS
Randy Evans is the executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council.