Posted on 03/13/2007 9:51:39 AM PDT by truth49
What does National Sunshine Week and the state’s budget have in common? Unfortunately, not much at the moment. Consider the fact lawmakers have held public hearings on critical state priorities like allowing dogs into bars and declaring the Walla Walla sweet onion as the official state vegetable, while failing to on bills that would shed public light on the state budget and allow taxpayers to easily search the details of state spending.
HB 2342 introduced by Rep. Mark Miloscia (D-30) would make “state budget information available to the public” by authorizing a “Google-styled” budget database, modeled after a recent federal reform. To date, no hearing or action has been taken on this bill.
Another attempt at budget transparency by Rep. Gary Alexander (R-20) also failed to break through legislative cloud cover. Alexander’s HB 1834 would create a five day timeout before a budget could be voted on after its introduction. The lack of a public hearing on this bill may indicate that those in power don’t believe the public and fellow lawmakers are entitled to the time necessary to actually read the hundred-plus page appropriation bills before the “deal is sealed.”
As is the case with other activities of government, the public does not yield it sovereignty to the budget writing committees and deserves the opportunity to review and comment on the details of the budget before the final vote.
This principle is clearly illustrated in state law:
“The people of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies that serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may maintain control over the instruments that they have created. This chapter shall be liberally construed and its exemptions narrowly construed to promote this public policy.” - RCW 42.56.030
Given that these budget disclosure bills were denied public hearings, taxpayers may be wondering why some lawmakers are unwilling to come out of the shadows and allow citizens the time and ability to review the budget in the light of day.
ping
WA State Ping...JFK
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