Information overload?

The city has recently posted more public records on their website.  KKOB reports that people are wondering if the new deluge of data from the city is "too much" data.

The Journal reports on the deluge as well, link.

All data has to be stored somewhere.  It might as well be stored in a place that is readily accessible to the people whose data it is.  There cannot be "too much" data, as long as it is searchable.

In theory there are only two kinds of public records;

1. those that people can inspect and copy, and 
2. those they cannot.

In practice, the records that people can inspect and copy, are sub-divided themselves into;

1. the ones that make the pol or public servant look good, or at least not bad, and which will be produced rather immediately, and 
2. those which show public corruption or incompetence, and will not be surrendered unless and until the courts order it so.

The only real measure of transparency in government, is the ease with which citizens can lay hands on all of the truth that the law will allow.

A case on point;
The public records of investigations into public corruption and incompetence in APS' publicly funded
private police force.

The records are subject to immediate surrender, yet they will be surrendered only after APS Supt Winston Brooks and the school board litigate against the public interests, and at public expense, for as long as they can prolong the delay.  The law allows them to do that.  Their lawyers will make so much money of the litigation, they won't tell how much they make.  You could sue them for the information I suppose.




In that respect, Mayor Richard Berry is no hero;
he is in fact, no better than any of the rest.

He talks a good game, but he continues to refuse to
recognize bloggers as press; engaging in activities that
are protected under the First Amendment.




photo Mark Bralley