

Letters: Publish public records on government assistance recipients

11:07 AM, Feb. 11, 2013  |  Comments

Wisconsin's Open Records law has been a wonderful tool for Government transparency, and the Northwestern (Gannett) has been a regular vehicle to reveal this information to readers.

Over the years the Northwestern has published yearly hit lists of the biggest property tax violators. We've seen countless posts of those convicted of OWI and what they received as punishment. Online you could even pull up a city map with details of police calls/reports. Recently with all the recall madness we were even given the tools to see who signed a recall petition, what politicians made, and who all donated to political campaigns. Now there is a weekly 'story' called, "What We Pay," to reveal what the public-sector employees are making. So no matter if you are an educator (state/local), state, county, or city employee your pay information (including overtime and benefits) is available for all to see.

Is this wrong? No, I don't think so. Everything in the public-sector should be subject to open records. However, my question is why is Gannett publishing this info? What is the true purpose of this? According to Gannett they feel "What We Pay" will help you, "be better informed about how your taxes are used." If so, don't forget to publish itemized departmental budgets as well.

Likewise, I'm sure over the next couple of weeks Gannett will also provide programs, names, and amounts of those who receive any government assistance. If the purpose is to be better informed about how our taxes are used, shouldn't we also see who receives our tax money through various forms of government assistance (food, shelter, elderly, children, disabled, health care, employment, utilities, and veteran services)? If not, why? After all it is only fair. Only then will us tax payers be totally informed where all our money goes.

Douglas Hornburg


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