More than a year and a half after the expiration of his term, Dr. Frederick Prehn continues to occupy a seat on the Natural Resources Board, which sets policy for the state Department of Natural Resources.
Tag: Your Right to Know
Posted inOpinion
Your Right to Know: Don’t pay too much for that photocopy!
If you request paper records and a government custodian tries to charge you 25 cents per page, push back.
Posted inOpinion
Your Right to Know: Wisconsin AG candidates weigh in on transparency
Josh Kaul and Eric Toney are miles apart on many issues, but when it comes to open government, the candidates vying for Wisconsin attorney general in the Nov. 8 election agree: more money is needed to handle enforcement of the state’s transparency laws.
Posted inOpinion
Your Right to Know: Outsiders can’t block records access
Wisconsin’s open records law is most often used by requesters seeking to obtain records from a government agency. But occasionally it works in reverse, allowing someone to block the release of records to a requester.
Posted inOpinion
Your Right to Know: Court ruling kneecaps records law
In July, the Wisconsin Supreme Court declared that public records plaintiffs “prevail” only if a judge orders the records to be released. In cases where the public official gets sued and has a change of heart, as often happens, there is no longer a clear path to fee recovery.
Posted inOpinion
Your Right to Know: When transparency is treated with contempt
Most of the time, public officials in Wisconsin obey the state’s openness laws. Sometimes, they need a little prodding from the courts. But the recent conduct of Robin Vos and Michael Gableman is something altogether new, and deeply disturbing.
Posted inOpinion
Your Right to Know: Judge was wrong to bar recordings of trial
Cameras in the courtroom can be helpful in promoting trust and confidence in the judicial process.
Posted inOpinion
Your Right to Know: Ask lawmakers for the records they delete
If a legislator deletes an email, is it truly gone? Not necessarily.
Posted inOpinion
Your Right to Know: Pull the plug on shadowy business courts
Anyone who doubts that secrecy in government breeds poor public policy should take a look at the Business Court Pilot Project launched by our Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Posted inOpinion
Your Right to Know: Local news deserves a break today
In recent years, the news business in Wisconsin has seen a lot of bad news. Dozens of newspapers have closed. Revenues are way down. Staffs are being trimmed. And “vulture” hedge funds are circling, threatening to pick clean the bones of this once robust industry.
Posted inOpinion
Your Right to Know: How to obtain public records: A primer
When an employee at a government agency makes a purchase, that transaction is the public’s business. Whenever a permit or license is issued by a government authority, this is information you should be able to obtain.
Posted inOpinion
Your Right to Know: Investigation records should be public
This article deals with the refusal of the Madison school district to release taxpayer-funded reports into allegations of misconduct.