Q & A with Tony Green of the Oregon Department of Justice

In preparation for making recommendations to the 2011 legislature, Attorney General John Kroger recently launched a comprehensive review of Oregon's open government laws that will support a more transparent and accessible government. NAO Member Services and Interim Public Policy Director Carol Hickman recently attended one in a series of statewide meetings that the Attorney General has scheduled in partnership with the Oregon Newspaper Publisher's Association.

At the March 31 meeting in Portland, several nonprofit organizations testified about unnecessary delays and prohibitive costs of accessing records to assist their clients. Hickman asked Tony Green, Director of Communications & Policy for the Oregon Department of Justice, about the new Government Transparency Initiative.

Why did the Attorney General and Oregon Newspaper Publisher's Association create the Government Transparency Initiative?

Attorney General Kroger decided to create the Government Transparency Initiative because of his role in enforcing Oregon's Public Records Law. When he was running for office, he heard numerous complaints by citizens and journalists who said they could not get access to basic public records. The Attorney General teamed up with the ONPA because newspapers share his strong interest in open records and open meetings.

What kinds of challenges do Oregonians face with regard to government transparency? How do we stack up against other state governments?

Part of the problem is the lack of uniformity. The mayor of a city may be very good about releasing records, but a city councilor may not. Same law. Different results. That inconsistency arises in part from vague statutory language regarding the time that can be taken, and the fees that can be charged, in response to requests for records. The fact that hundreds of exemptions from disclosure are scattered throughout the state's laws does not help either. We have heard a lot of complaints about extremely high fees and extremely slow response times. Many states have far clearer provisions with respect to timing and fees. The Attorney General believes that Oregon's laws leave significant room for improvement.

Why is government transparency an important issue for Oregon's nonprofit community? Are there specific areas of concern?

Many nonprofits serve as an important link between government and involved citizens. And nonprofits often act as government watchdogs. To effectively participate in important policy debates, they need easy access to information about what government is doing.

How can citizens get involved?

Attorney General Kroger would like to hear from as many citizens as possible on open records and open meetings in order to come up with a reform package that makes Oregon the most transparent state in the nation. We welcome written comments and encourage people to come to our meetings. We will also be asking people to write their legislators expressing their support for this important project.