Tom Carr

P-I Reporter Robert McClure chimes in with this report:

Is our government so poor it can't afford to do a good job providing public records to.... the public? The same public that passed the Public Records Law by initiative in 1972?

That seemed to be what Seattle City Attorney Tom Carr was suggesting at a lunchtime panel discussion put on by the Washington Coalition for Open Government. Carr is -- controversially -- the chairman of the state's commission reviewing exemptions to the Public Records Law. Today he said would like the city to buy an archiving tool that would greatly improve document production for public-records requests. But:

My mayor and council have to decide -- how many police officers is that worth? ... As a lawyer, I can't look the mayor in the face and say, 'Make do with less police officers.'

State House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, showed great restraint in just mentioning in passing that there is probably something other than police or firefighters in the city's $926 million budget that might be a better target for a cut. Kessler said this cost excuse also came up with her bill to keep government boards including city and county councils honest when they go into secret (or, if we must, "executive") sessions.

The bill would have required government boards to record these behind-closed-doors discussions so that they can be reviewed if allegations emerge that they covered subjects other than the few allowed in such secret meetings.

Kessler said she was besieged by objections. Carr -- who is active in one of the local government associations that opposed the bill but is elected in the city of Seattle where the council backed the measure -- said a lot of the pushback came from small local governments worried about cost.

Kessler, though, recalled turning to a reporter who was interviewing her one day, pointing to his handheld digital recorder, and asking: How much do those cost?

The answer: About $60.

Personnel costs involved? "One finger is sufficient," Kessler reminded the crowd, referring to the one finger needed to push the "on" button.

State Auditor Brian Sonntag had to leave before they got to this point. But that's OK. Kessler reminded the assembled that he had fielded more than 450 complaints about secret meetings of government bodies.

Carr parried by spotlighting how the Legislature itself still holds secret meetings. Kessler pointed out that at least the Leg does obey the Public Records Act. That's not true in every state capital and it ain't true in Congress under the Freedom of Information Act, either. Still, it didn't appear many in the WACOG audience were ready to proclaim secret legislative sessions good public policy.