RepRichCebra's Blog

Testimony of State Representative Richard Cebra

 

To the Joint Standing Judiciary Committee

 

 

 

 

Opposition to LD 1353: “An Act Regarding Salary Information for Public Employees"

 

 

 

 

April 30, 2009

 

 

 

 

Senator Bliss, Representative Priest, members of the Judiciary Committee, I am State Representative Richard Cebra and I have the honor of representing the people of Casco, Naples, and part of Poland in the Maine House of Representatives.

 

 

 

I stand here today in opposition to LD 1353, “An Act Regarding Salary Information for Public Employees.”

 

 

 

Never in recent memory has there been such a blatant attempt to deny public information to the citizens and taxpayers of Maine.  By hiding the names of government and school employees who are paid by our constituents’ tax dollars, this bill sends a disturbing message that elected officials will not hold themselves accountable to Mainers.  Passage of this bill means Mainers should not be inquiring how government spends their money.

 

 

 

This is not the message I believe our legislature should be sending to the people of Maine.  This information has always been public.  This sudden push to hide public information and shut down government transparency is as confusing as it is dangerous.

 

 

 

Open government is not just a privilege, it is a right—a right this bill tramples upon.  Although some members of this committee have cosponsored the bill, I urge them to change their position to achieve a unanimous recommendation of “Ought Not To Pass.”

 

 

 

Now is the time to empower citizens with greater government transparency.  Our efforts should be spent tearing down the roadblocks that prevent access to public information.  We should not be using our positions as elected officials to blindfold the citizens of Maine.

 

 

 

Thank you for your time.  I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.