From KPBS:
Marking Sunshine Week in San Diego, Mayor Bob Filner on Thursday unveiled a new section of the city website that makes good on his promise for open government—putting in one place information on the pensions being paid city retirees as well as all lawsuits involving City Hall.
With his open-government chief Donna Frye standing beside him, he displayed what Frye called one of the most transparent city sites in the state, if not the nation.
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From MMDNewsWire.com:
As national Sunshine Week begins, Californians interested in using their laws to keep an eye on city hall and other local and state public agencies can get a free 50-page how-to guide from the state's premier open government resource center.
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From Society of Professional Journalists:
The James Madison Freedom of Information Awards recognize Northern California organizations and individuals who have made significant contributions to advancing freedom of information and expression in the spirit of James Madison, the creative force behind the First Amendment. SPJ NorCal presents the awards during National Freedom of Information Week near Madison’s birthday, March 16.
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We so liked the State FOIA Friday this week, we thought we’d give it this second and special edition.
A few state FOIA and local open government news items selected from many of interest that we might or might not have drawn attention to earlier in the week:
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From I-Newsource:
San Diego mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio keeps a private calendar that shows he had appointments with newspaper owner Doug Manchester in December and in May, despite his office insisting no records of communication exist between the two men.
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From Gilroy Dispatch:
City Council is preparing to change the dynamics of their open government commission – which was created in 2009 to promote transparency from Gilroy staff – as they move to allow members of the public apply for the commission.
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From U-T San Diego:
On July 24, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors reaffirmed its commitment to open meetings, unanimously agreeing to follow the state’s Ralph M. Brown Act even though the state had suspended the law to save money.
Chairman Ron Roberts mocked the state for its dysfunction.
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From California Watch
Biotech companies with operations in California – the birthplace of the industry and home to one-third of the country’s biotech firms – spent $40 million on federal lobbying between 2009 and 2011, according to an analysis released yesterday by the Union of Concerned Scientists and Center for Responsive Politics.
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