Connecticut city council wants access to public records without mayor's approval
City council members in New Britain, Conn., passed an ordinance Wednesday requiring city officials to provide them public records without having to go through the mayor's office. The mayor responded by restating proper protocol for council members to request records, including that requests go through department heads, not staff members, and that the mayor's office be made aware of the request. The city attorney said the ordinance duplicates the state's freedom of information act, is vague, and unenforceable, and that council members are undermining the mayor's authority. Protocol? Mayor's authority? Once again, we see information is power, and conflicting branches of government fighting over both. You know an agency is too controlling and paternalistic with public records when its own officials fight over information. If agencies could follow state law and provide public information to anyone (whether they are council members or not), without red tape or gatekeeping, then we might have accountable government. See story in the Hartford Courant.