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Updated: December 25, 2024 @ 8:09 am
Giving thanks today and always for the New York Coalition for Open Government.
It’s strange to me, in an era when so many backed a return to office by Donald Trump because they support “draining the swamp” of government, that the coalition can’t get more public traction for its ideas and ideals.
For those who aren’t aware, the coalition is a statewide good government advocacy group founded by Paul Wolf, an attorney from Williamsville. Coalition members support tons of sensible stuff, like making sure local governments and school districts operate appropriately, within the law and in the interest of being transparent to the voters, residents and taxpayers whose money supports their operations.
The group released its annual “naughty and nice” list last week, a highlight of the year for a good government geek like me.
We previously reported that the Niagara Falls City Council chairman’s September decision to bar a resident from discussing a response she received to a Freedom of Information Law request at the podium inside city hall. Oh, and he called a cop over to have her removed, too, which did not score well with Wolf and company.
Yes, Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams were named as “naughty,” too.
The rest of the list included several tidbits I found fascinating.
For example, Wolf said a lawsuit revealed New York City’s Police Department had delayed responses to 42,000 FOIL requests over a four-year period.
Forty-two thousand!
Then there’s the Nassau County Police Department, which has spent at least $100,000 fighting a FOIL request for a phone directory despite receiving multiple court orders to do so and being held in contempt by the courts.
“This is a pretty outrageous example of the lengths some will go to fight a FOIL request,” Wolf said.
One relatable “naughty” list entry involved the Syracuse school board’s decision to send a cease and desist letter to a news station, asking the outlet to stop contacting board members with questions.
He only got a naughty, but it sounds like Phil Skowfoe Jr., supervisor in the town of Fulton in Schoharie County, deserved the “mean, old Mr. Potter” award for taking it upon himself to eliminate people’s right to speak during board meetings and requiring them to submit a request to speak one week prior to any meeting.
As Wolf noted, the requests need to be made before the town council’s agenda is released, making it impossible for residents to know what might interest them enough to sign up to talk about at the next town meeting.
“Just another example of this growing movement of not wanting to hear from the public,” Wolf said.
It’s not all doom and gloom.
There’s a “nice” list too.
The people on it are considered fighters for transparency, people like Town of Colton Board member Kevin Beary who challenged his community’s supervisor for refusing to explain his decision for entering into executive session.
During the presentation of the coalition’s 2024 “naughty and nice” list, Beary talked about something I’ve witnessed in local governments and school districts for years, what he called the “weird relationship” that often involves psychological dominance and submission between supervisors and board members.
“The board members are afraid,” he said. “They don’t want to make waves.”
Wolf and coalition members have for years now been trying to make waves in what often amounts to a sea of sharks running local and state government in New York.
They want public information, including meeting agendas and any accompanying documentation, to be readily available to the public.
They want public officials to adhere to open meetings laws and to conduct business in public so members of the media can follow along and better understand what’s being done with public resources.
They want stiffer penalties for violators, noting that, as of now, New York has no real punishments for public officials who skirt the laws, outright ignore them or even abuse them.
“Our laws are very weak compared to many other states so we will keep up the fight,” Wolf said.
It’s a worthwhile fight and I’m glad Wolf and company keep fighting it.
The government “swamp” isn’t confined to Washington, D.C.
When it comes to politics and government in Western New York, and in Niagara County in particular, it often feels like there’s quagmire all around.
Mark Scheer is a reporter and columnist with the Niagara Gazette and Lockport Union-Sun & Journal. If you have a story or a blessing you want to share with him, contact him at 716-282-2311, ext. 2254 or via email at mark.scheer@niagara-gazette.com.
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