Michigan is near (if not at) the bottom of ranking for transparency in state governments. Yes, there are seemingly larger issues in the world at the moment, but with Sunshine Week coming up next week, it felt appropriate.
Sunshine Week is a nonpartisan collaboration among groups in the journalism, civic, education, government, and private sectors that shines a light on the importance of public records and open government. If you want to affect positive change, I encourage you to join them in making sure public information is public. Stop shaking your tiny, angry fists at the so-called "the mainstream media" — help make it easier for journalists to accurately report what's going on.
When she was first elected in 2018, Governor Whitmer made some very specific promises about just that. Now in her 8th year, she has not come near to delivering on formalizing open access to information for Michigan state government, such as expanding Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to her office.
House Speaker Matt Hall is newer to the game, but more audacious in flaunting his contempt for transparency — last year he proclaimed that he's "not doing FOIA" for the time being, preferring his own "HEAT" (Hall Ethics, Accountability, and Transparency) plan instead. Good lord. A politician devising his own plan for accountability — that's about as red flaggy as it gets!
Editor's note: John Auchter is a freelance political cartoonist. His views are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Michigan Public, its management, or its license holder, the University of Michigan.
