Why we must break the Open Meetings Law

The Journal Sentinel "expose" Monday that the state budget was mostly put together in secret included an interesting rationale from State Sen. Scott (Gatsby) Fitzgerald, co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee.

The Republicans, who hold a 12-4 majority on Joint Finance, would meet in secret, sometimes shuffling and out of the room to avoid having a quorum, sometimes not bothering with the niceties. There, the story says, they "make tentative spending decisions, craft complicated packages on thorny issues such as health care, and then ratify those closed-door deals in public sessions."

"Fitzgerald defended the process, however. Often, he said, lawmakers need time before the Finance Committee convenes to be sure they agree on an issue before taking an official vote. Privacy breeds candor, he said, with committee members "much more willing to talk about senators' personalities, and quirks and problems than they would be in the open."

Just one problem. The whole premise behind the state's Open Meeting Law is that debate should take place and decisions should be made in the public eye. Every time the GOP majority works out a deal and puts the votes together in private, it is breaking the law.

Previous post:"News flash: Budget written in secret!!!"