Many Warriors in Central’s Battle for Freedom of Information

Mrs. Cindy Richard made this wonderful German chocolate cake and brought it to the Central City News office to help celebrate the newspaper’s receiving the Louisiana Press Association’s annual Freedom of Information Award.

CENTRAL — At the Louisiana Press Association annual awards ceremonies Saturday night, I felt very honored to accept the LPA’s Freedom of Information Award for 2010 on behalf of the Central City News.  This is probably the highest award given by the newspaper editors and publishers of our state to another newspaper.

The judges said that I had waged “a one-man battle to open the records of city government to the public.” But the truth is, there have been many warriors in the fight for public records and open government in our new City of Central.

In fact, a majority of the Central City Council and all seven of our school board members strongly support transparency in government, as does our Superintendent of Schools. Councilman Tony LoBue has taken a leadership role in this fight.

Central resident Mike Mannino has made public records requests, repeatedly defended the public’s right to know what government is doing, and taken untold criticism for demanding access to public records.

Central businesses have stood up to threats of boycott and continued to advertise with the Central City News.

Our splendid staff — led by Candi Lee, Terrie Palmer, Shara Pollard, and Jolice Provost — have been unwavering in their support of open government.

Volunteers have labored over thousands of pages of public documents.

Our attorneys — Alex St. Amant, Margaret Savoye, and Catherine Wheeler — have done a superb job in the legal battle.

The Louisiana Press Association has filed an amicus brief with the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal in support of the Central City News.

Hundreds of citizens have contacted their elected officials and this newspaper to offer their support and encouragement.

And the vast majority of our citizens — probably over 70 percent —have stood firmly in favor of access to public records and transparency in government.

Each issue of the Central City News is distributed to 200 locations around Central, and 11,000 copies are voluntarily picked up by the people.

We believe readership and true support for the newspaper have never been higher.

Some people say Central is divided, but the reality is, the vast majority of people are in fact united in favor of the position this newspaper has taken — which is openness in government.

The right to examine Public Records is not some special right belonging to the news media. On the contrary, it is the right of every citizen to be able to question government officials and find out what they are doing with the public’s money and with the power we have entrusted to them.

It is not about some particular politician who happens to be in public office at the moment.  Politicians come and go.  It is about fundamental principles of a democratic society.  Without access to public records and access to meetings of public bodies, there is no democratic rule, but only a sham.

At the Central City News, we proudly defend the public’s right to know.  We do this with the knowledge that it is a never-ending fight, because there is always some politician or bureaucrat who wants to conduct the public’s business in secret.

— Woody Jenkins, Editor, Central City News