Revenge
It’s payback time. The state House Judiciary Committee recently voted 18-6 in favor of a measure that would allow municipalities and school districts to post their public notices about meetings, zoning variances, ordinances, etc., on government-sponsored and government-maintained Web sites instead of in newspapers. The Associated Press reported supporters say municipalities and school boards currently spend about $26 million a year on legal ads and that being able to post their public notices online would save money.
This isn’t about saving money. It’s about lawmakers, and, to a lesser extent, school district, municipal and county officials, getting back at newspapers for their role as government watchdogs – and heaven knows there is more than enough in government in Pennsylvania that needs watching.
Let’s take the lawmakers’ lead and follow the money.
Pennsylvania has 500 school districts and 2,565 municipalities. Divide $26 million by 3,065. It comes out to $8,482.87 for each of these entities. For most municipalities and all school districts, the money they shell out for public notices is relatively minor. (The Pennsylvania Newspapers Association estimates public notice spending accounts for less than 1 percent of operating expenditures for municipalities and school districts.)
So, it’s not about the money. It’s about newspapers reporting on a middle-of-the-night pay grab and on scandals like Bonusgate, and asking questions that lawmakers would rather not answer. It’s about newspapers (and their readers) holding public officials accountable for what they do.
When this comes up for a vote in the House, remember that it isn’t about saving taxpayers’ money. If lawmakers were interested in doing that, they would reduce the size of the Legislature by one-third, cut back to part-time status (and reduce their salaries) and give up their generous per diems, free vehicles, fabulous health care coverage and terrific pensions.
Like that’s ever going to happen.
Lawmakers know that the only challenge to their comfortable existence can come from a free press and an informed citizenry. The more they can do to keep the press and the people in the dark, the better it is for them.
The Beaver County Times