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Pennsylvania FOI Coalition formsHARRISBURG, PA—Open government is the foundation of American democracy, and a new group has formed to make sure Pennsylvania’s government stays open. "We want Pennsylvania to be synonymous once again with open government, as it was at its foundation," said Gayle Sproul, president of the new Pennsylvania Freedom of Information Coalition. The coalition was founded by journalists, librarians, attorneys, educators and community group leaders to protect the right of all Pennsylvania citizens to obtain public information from local and state government officials. Pennsylvania has consistently been ranked one of the worst states in the nation for access to government records and open meetings. Many records that are public in other states – such as lists of the most dangerous roads, the cost of settlements for officials’ mistakes and records of cell-phone calls made on taxpayer-paid phones – are kept secret in Pennsylvania. Sproul, an attorney with Levine Sullivan Koch & Shulz of Philadelphia, said, "Our coalition is intended to be just that – a coalition of Pennsylvania citizens from all walks of life, who share the belief that the best government is an open one. Our aim is transparency in all aspects of government at the local and state levels. "This is a coalition that aims to serve the average citizen of our Commonwealth and give each of us open access to our government at all levels." The group has been granted non-profit tax status and has received $15,000 in start-up funds. It earned a $10,000 start-up award from the National Freedom of Information Coalition through a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. It also was awarded a $5,000 donation from the funds of the former Pennsylvania First Amendment Coalition, a group formed by journalists in 1977 to fight for freedom of the press. The coalition will use the grants to build a website and publish educational materials for the public. One of the group’s main missions will be to educate citizens, groups and government officials about the importance of open government to democracy and how they can use their rights to get public records. The group also will help citizens or groups who encounter difficulty in obtaining public records. The Pennsylvania Freedom of Information Coalition is accepting memberships, with annual dues ranging from $25 for individuals to $1,000 for large businesses. Members will receive a step-by-step "Citizen’s Guide to Access," expert legal advice on questions of public access, and updates on open-records legislation and legal efforts. In open-government cases of statewide importance, the coalition plans to help citizens obtain vigorous legal representation. The group will also monitor proposed state and federal laws, regulations and court decisions and provide information to state officials to encourage discussion of open government improvements in Pennsylvania. "To the extent allowed by our non-profit status, we support reforms affecting public records," said Sproul. "There should be no shadowy corners in government. We want to let the light in." In addition to Sproul, the coalition board members include: Vice President Robert Richards of Penn State University’s Pennsylvania Center for the First Amendment; Secretary Donald Gilliland, managing editor of the Potter Leader-Enterprise in Coudersport; treasurer Kim de Bourbon, a freelance journalist; Cathi Alloway, public services director of the Dauphin County Library; Robert Clothier, an attorney with Fox Rothschild in Philadelphia; Jim DePury, news director for WPMT-Fox 43 in central Pennsylvania; Sally Hale, chief of the Pennsylvania bureau of the Associated Press; Brian Lockman, president and CEO of Pennsylvania Cable Network; Jim Parsons, reporter for WTAE Channel 4 in Pittsburgh, and Ernest Schreiber, editor of the Lancaster New Era. |
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