In the digital age, it is easier than ever to keep tabs on government. Department budgets, videos of meetings and details about campaign financing are available online. Social media enhances the sharing of information (and, unfortunately, misinformation). And requests for public records can be made from a computer instead of requiring an in-person visit to a government bureau.
Despite this digital access, at a time when the public increasingly demonstrates little interest in the functions of government and at a time when our democracy is under threat from within, Sunshine Week warrants attention.
The nonpartisan, nonprofit national initiative was established in 2005 by the News Leaders Association (formerly the American Society of News Editors) to promote open government and celebrate access to public information. Sunshine Week this year runs through Sunday, coinciding with the birthday of James Madison and National Freedom of Information Day on Wednesday.
Madison famously observed that, “A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce, or a tragedy, or perhaps both.” The sentiment was echoed by Thomas Jefferson, who wrote, “Wherever the people are well informed they can be trusted with their own government.”
That can seem arcane when misinformation is rampant. But a well-informed public remains essential to a functioning democracy; there is good reason that freedom of the press is included in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
In Washington, there are several reliable outlets for helping to create that well-informed public:
- Newspapers remain one of the best sources for information, providing local news at a level unmatched by any other media. For example, cable news outlets and Portland TV stations are not going to provide details about local city or county government; The Columbian keeps tabs on them daily.
- TVW, the state’s public affairs network, provides access to state government. As TVW President Renee Radcliff Sinclair said: “From legislative debates to candidate debates, TVW provides a unique lens on the world of state government because it offers an unfiltered view of proceedings, no matter where you may be located geographically.”
- The state auditor’s office provides an online Financial Intelligence Tool, which has budget information for every governmental entity in the state.
- Clark County has a portal linking to its 2020 financial report. With a couple clicks, for example, you can learn that 28 cents of every dollar in property taxes went to local schools, while 21 cents went to state schools (much of which is returned to the county).
- The Washington State Legislature website has details about all bills that have been filed and their progress in the House and Senate.
While much information is available online, citizens must remain diligent about demanding government transparency. Legislators continue to insist they are exempt from some provisions of the state’s Public Records Act, and diminished local media in many areas reduces the watchdog function of the press.
Sunshine Week gleans its name from the cliché that sunlight is the best disinfectant — applying it to rooting out the darkest tendencies of government opacity. But to truly enjoy the benefits of that sunshine, we must have a public that is eager to understand how its government is functioning.
