Grassroots Lobbying Kit

Talking Points: Importance of Open Government

· Access to government information helps educate voters so they can discuss issues intelligently.

· Releasing records helps alleviate distrust of government by giving citizens the same information that is available to elected officials.

· Open meetings and records laws allow people to see not only a government body’s final decision, but also the rationale behind that decision.

· Residents are entitled to know what is going on in their government, because they pay the taxes and they have a right to know where their money is going.

· If public officials can’t stand in the open and tell the people what they’re doing and why they did it, then they shouldn’t be doing it.

· Public officials turn minor problems into major ones when they try to close things when they have no right to do so or no good reason to do so.

· Keeping records open gives confidence to the public that the system is working for the people and not against them.

· Elected and appointed officials must be constantly aware that they are accountable for their actions.