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Public disclosure is a small sacrifice - MJ Mentioned |
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Written by Administrator
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Thursday, 15 July 2004 |
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Public disclosure is a small sacrifice
Still troubled by the knowledge that California judges are not covered by the state public records law, I stewed and tried to figure out my next move.
If the people of California - as the governor likes to call us - are prohibited from obtaining public records about how much public money judges spend, what public information can we obtain about some of the most powerful public servants in the community?
Not a lot.
But something's better than nothing.
And Form 700 is something.
Not only are judges required to fill out and file the official form with the Fair Political Practices Commission in Sacramento, but so do a slew of other elected and appointed public officials.
Maybe judges don't have to tell us what they spend on conferences, gas mileage or other job-related expenses, but they do have to tell us about their investments in business entities such as stock holdings or owning a business or a partnership. They have to tell us about their interests in real estate that officials call real property. They have to reveal the sources of personal income, including gifts, loans and travel payments. And they must reveal positions of management or employment with business entities.
Personal financial reporting requirements also apply to members of planning commissions, members of a board of supervisors, district attorneys, mayors, city managers, city attorneys, city treasurers, members of city councils and others.
A variety of public servants are required to file Form 700.
But I have a feeling that some of them don't want members of the public digging into the contents and telling nosy neighbors the grisly details. That's why people might also be a little leery asking to peep into what some people consider to be the personal lives of powerful people.
So I'll ask for you.
In the next couple of weeks I plan to rustle up a cross-section of Form 700s from our public officials. Then I'll share any information that catches my eye.
Public disclosure is one of the small sacrifices that comes with public service.
Since my discovery of Form 700 began with an interest in the judge who regularly seals court documents and is keeping valuable information from the public in the Michael Jackson case, we might as well start there.
After all, Santa Barbara County Court Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville is the county's assistant presiding judge who will take over as presiding judge in January. That's reason enough to want to know where his money comes from.
County supervisors have some bucks, too.
City council members as well.
And others.
"The purpose of financial disclosure is to alert public officials to personal interests that might be affected while they are performing their official duties, i.e., making governmental decisions," according to the FPPC Web site.
"Disclosure also helps inform the public about potential conflicts of interest," the Web site says.
Form 700 is an important government document that helps the public hold accountable people who have pledged to uphold the public trust.
To do otherwise is downright un-American.
Civic duty requires us to know all we can know about public servants who do the people's business.
Greater minds than mine agree.
"Assets and income of public officials which may be materially affected by their official actions should be disclosed and in appropriate circumstances the officials should be disqualified from acting in order that conflicts of interest may be avoided," according to state Government Code section 81002 ©.
That means that we want our public officials to know that we're watching and that they should do their best to represent our interests - not theirs.
It also means that the public has an absolute right to know the record.
Still, even people with the inclination to research such available information often lack the time to go digging into pertinent public records.
Form 700, officially called a "statement of economic interest," must be filed each year. The first page of the form is clearly marked "a public document," just in case anyone forgets that it must be made available to anyone who asks.
By the way, I'm asking.
* Steve Corbett's column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. He can be reached at 739-2215 or e-mailed at
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Read Corbett online at www.santa
mariatimes.com.
July 15, 2004
SOURCE: http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2004/07/17/sections/corbett/corbett.txt
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