Deseret Morning News editorial 2007 Goals

Monday, January 1, 2007

Our goals for 2007
Deseret Morning News editorial

Some time last fall — after a year in which state lawmakers had toyed with silly ways to close access to government records and some parents sued the Davis School District for allegedly violating the open meetings law — it became evident that many people in official positions in Utah do not appreciate open government.

We assume this has to do with a basic lack of understanding, among some, of fundamentals. In a free society, the public owns the government, and the best way to keep government accountable is to keep it as open as possible. But an element of self-preservation — the desire among some to keep delicate matters out of the press — no doubt is at work, as well.

A coalition of Utah media was able to successfully persuade state lawmakers to back away last winter from most attempts to further tighten control over information, but a report from the legislative auditor general in the summer found that some school boards close meetings frequently and inappropriately. The problem clearly is neither rare nor easily countered.

And so we have made the need for more transparency in government an editorial goal for 2007. It will share attention with two other goals: promoting practical and meaningful immigration reform, including a guest-worker pass of some kind that not only allows workers to cross the border but that helps officials keep track of them; and encouraging more young people to enroll in colleges and universities.

The Deseret Morning News editorial board has a proud tradition of sharing its goals for the coming year each New Year's Day. Naturally, we intend to continue writing opinions on an endless variety of subjects during the year. Nor do we intend to completely abandon the issues we selected as goals in previous years. Problems generally do not come and go at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. But by publishing a specific set of goals, we identify issues we feel ought to steer our focus and absorb much of our energy.

In the past, our editorial goals have led to changes in state law and even helped persuade people to alter the form of government in Salt Lake County.

We would like to see similar success with the goals we chose this year. Rather than having to fend off bills intended to shut off access to public records — bills that often are little more than attempts at media-bashing — we would like to see lawmakers pass bills that improve access. The state open meetings act could use a revision that adds penalties for violations, for example.
News outlets often make the mistake of labeling these issues as of benefit to reporters and editors only. The truth is that government openness benefits the public at large. You are the ones who pay taxes to collect records. You should have access.

Obviously, there are exceptions to be made for legitimate privacy concerns. But the results of safety inspections at restaurants and public pools — things that might have been made secret under legislation that failed last year — are intended to protect and inform the public. Likewise, when a school district closes a meeting to redraw boundaries, the parents affected should demand some consequences.

Immigration reform is a carryover from last year, and the year before. But this is no time for a loss of focus. The new mix in Congress provides an opportunity to pass a bill President Bush would sign. On a local level, lawmakers need to be discouraged from measures intended to unduly punish undocumented workers. There is no reason, for example, to deny the children of these immigrants an education. The last thing the government needs is to encourage formation of a permanent underclass of uneducated and hopeless youths. With the number of undocumented immigrants in the United States estimated at 12 million, the long-term consequences of punitive action could be disastrous.
Along those lines, all Americans need to begin taking the need for higher education more seriously. In Utah, enrollments are declining along with funding, while tuition costs are rising. The state now ranks 32nd in the nation in terms of 25- to 34-year-old residents with bachelor's degrees. A university education does much more than teach skills and prepare students for jobs. It teaches people to think critically, to appreciate art and understand history. It provides the foundation for a well-rounded life and enriches all of society.

We will better define the issues and solutions surrounding these goals as the year progresses. The hope is to give them the prominence in the public dialogue that they deserve.