“Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. “ ~P.J. O’Rourke

 

If the trend holds consistent, sometime tomorrow, – at the very end of the 10-day period allowed for the City to respond to our new GRAMA request for email & text message Records – the City will tell Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government (CHCRG) how they will provide the documents.  The City has no choice.  The good news is that State law requires them to provide the Public Record to anyone who asks.  Where they do have a choice though, is on how much it will cost taxpayers.

In advance of their response to our GRAMA request tomorrow, we thought it might be helpful to encourage the City to avoid choosing to again unnecessarily waste taxpayer money in legal fees.  (“$30,000” last time, though we believe probably much more.)

There are two main approaches they can choose;  the 1.) FREE way, or the 2.) EXPENSIVE way.  We recommend the FREE way.

Please remember, CHCRG has ZERO power or influence over how the City chooses to obey the law and expend taxpayer funds.   City spending decisions are 100% in the hands of the Mayor & Council who “hold the purse-strings” on all financial decisions through their votes on the Council.

Here are some cost-saving reasons why we believe THE CITY SHOULD WANT to provide CHCRG the Public Record for FREE:

#1 – Newspapers comments.

Last year, City leadership was publicly chastised for not providing public documents for free, and a number of other errors, saying that, “…Disclosure is precisely in the public interest”.   See…

SL Tribune & Daily Herald come to our defense!

 

#2  – List of Emails exposed on CHCRG.

Remember: These emails are in their words, — not ours.  These are Public Record business issues your City leadership thought you would never know about, and tried to stop you from having this information.  Why?  The reasons may become clear when you read what they wrote:

Secret Emails Exposed – #1 “Throw existing Council under the bus”

Secret Emails Exposed – #2 Former Mayor Brad Sears involved?

Secret Email Exposed – #3 Smoking gun – “Korihor soldier”

Secret Email #4 – Mayor: “Beer Tavern license”, -but “after the election”

Secret Email #5 – Councilmen Gary Gygi & Scott Jackman proposed $5/month tax increase

 

#3 – CHCRG has and continues to applaud Council-woman Jenney Rees

We are grateful for her when she has shown, “…strong championing of the voice of many residents who are in favor of true open, honest and transparent government, especially on controversial items like the city facilitating alcohol service and expenditures over $400,000 without full-disclosure…”.   In other words, when anyone is fighting in behalf of “open, honest and transparent” government to protect Cedar Hills families and finances, WE ARE ON THE SAME TEAM.:

Council Breaks Laws Again! Votes for alcohol in “Family Rec Center”

(See our support of Council-woman Jenney Rees’ championing of truth, also documented in “Emails Exposed #1” above.)

 

#4 – Get your copy of the previous 6000+ pages GRAMA request from CHCRG for FREE.

Though the City charged us $766, we won’t charge you anything.   Just ask for your free copy via email at Info@CedarHillsCitizens.org or click at end of this email…

“CH lawyer blames his high legal bill on citizen group”

 

In conclusion:  The public being able to have easy access to the Public Record is not about Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government, or about Ken Cromar (who serves as one of our Researchers), or anyone else.  It’s all about “open, honest and transparent” government.

The Daily Herald Editorial Staff summed it best when they wrote in their defense (see subject 1. above) :

“The city should welcome Cromar’s effort [in behalf of CHCRG] to clear the air, even if it views him personally as an annoying and unwelcome antagonist.  This isn’t about Cromar: It’s about shining light fully on a difficult period in city history.

“In that sense, disclosure is precisely in the public interest.  Mayor Gygi should step above perceptions of petty politics and recognize that.”

We agree with the Daily Herald!  We also believe that most people in Cedar Hills will agree too – IF they are allowed to access to the facts.

As mentioned above, there are two main approaches; 1.) the FREE way, or the 2.) EXPENSIVE way.   We, at Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government strongly encourage the City choose to save taxpayer money, quickly be “open, honest & transparent” by immediately providing the Public Record for FREE.

Providing the Public Record will better serve the public interest in open government, it will protect City Officials who act honestly and honorably, and also save taxpayer tens and tens dollars in needless legal bills.

This financial choice is 100% in the hands of the Mayor & Council – not CHCRG.