Judy Markland: Vote ‘no’ on Question 1

Like you, I’d like to see more transparency from the state Legislature, but the Question 1 ballot initiative is flawed. It would give the state auditor the authority to “audit” the Legislature. But the Legislature’s finances are already audited by an independent auditor, and the state auditor already has the authority to audit state agencies, where the real money is.

This initiative would really only add access to information on committee appointments and votes, and that only well after the fact. Moreover, this authority would be granted only if the state courts find that there is no constitutional issue with the executive branch having oversight over the Legislative branch.

What we really need is transparency while things are happening, not months later, so we can have input. This could be accomplished by requiring the Legislature to be subject to the same open meeting and open record laws that it imposed on all the other levels of government in the state, while exempting itself. The open meeting law requires that an agenda be publicly posted at least two business days before a meeting and the meeting itself be open to the public. If all-volunteer committees without any staff can do it, certainly our legislators can.

Let’s get transparency where we really want it, while new budgets and bills are actually being passed. Vote “no” on Question 1 and let’s work to require that the Legislature be subject to both open meeting and public record laws.

Judy Markland

Whately