DISCLAIMER: The information contained on this Web site, which includes information contained on all links to other sites, is provided as a public service by Pottstown Citizens for Responsible Government. The material on this Web site comes from government and other sources, and Pottstown Citizens for Responsible Government does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information, or make any representation as to whether the information is current. No warranty, express or implied, is created by providing the information on this Web site. Pottstown Citizens for Responsible Government shall not be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken, or not taken, in reliance on the information found on this Web site. Users are advised to do their own independent investigation before relying on or taking/not taking any action based on information found on this Web site.
Transparent Government Improves Efficiency,
Instills Trust
After years of promising more transparency in government, Pennsylvania adopted an open records law, effective Jan. 1, 2009, that makes it easier for citizens to obtain documents from state and local agencies.
Unfortunately, the legislation still places the burden on individual citizens to acquire information rather than use the Internet to bring information to the people.
Today, virtually every government record is created on a computer. Once digitized, it’s a simple matter to make it available on a Web site. Whole warehouses of information can be stored and accessed from servers that could fit in a storage closet.
Like most Pennsylvania municipalities and school districts, both Pottstown Borough and Pottstown School District operate Web sites. But it’s up to local officials to decide what to publish.
As time passes, Pottstown Citizens for Responsible Government intends to obtain as much public information as we can and post it on this Web site in a reader-friendly format. This includes the names, job positions, qualifications, and salaries of borough and school district employees. Salaries and benefits typically account for 60 to 70 percent of local government budgets.
Our goal is to change the culture of both Pottstown Borough and the Pottstown School District to conduct their business in an open and professional manner.
We hope our Web site will encourage both Pottstown Borough and the Pottstown School District to clearly explain their mission and services on their official Web sites, accompanied by a comprehensive catalogue of public records.
We believe that, just as competition in the marketplace drives businesses to improve products and productivity, openness and accessibility will drive our local government to become more efficient and responsive to people’s needs.
As Harrisburg attorney Craig Staudenmaier has written in the Harrisburg Patriot-News:
| These are your records. If you were told that you could not see a copy of your own check ledger or employment contract, you would be rightfully upset. The government’s records are no different, because they are maintained for you at your expense. More important, they provide you the ability to be informed and to monitor the actions and spending of your government – a fundamental principle of our democracy and this commonwealth. |