Tim Nickens on Public Records

Public records are an incredible source for just about any type of information. Property records, salaries, building permits and agendas for public meetings are just a few of the many sources open for public viewing. Tim Nickens, editorial page editor for the St. Petersburg Times, helped explain just what public records have done for the public.

The amount of information available through accessing public records allows reporters to uncover unethical behavior by elected officials. Surprisingly, records of building permits and company budgets have unearthed scandal after scandal.

According to Nickens, Representative Ray Samson knows all about how public records can expose elected officials. Through viewing building permits, property records and a community college's budget, it was found that Samson was using 6 million dollars of the public's money to build an airplane hanger for one of his friends. The Board of Trustees at Southwest Florida Community College then held a meeting to rectify the situation, but the meeting took place 150 miles away, ensuring that the public wouldn't be at this meeting. Reporters discovered this through a public record of the meeting.

Public records also helped stop energy companies from raising their rates. The energy companies were proposing a rate increase but it was found, through a public record of the energy company's budget, that the company was going to use part of the profit from the rate increase for a new corporate jet. It was also found that the CEO was going to use some of the money for a private helicopter that would take him to work everyday.

Although public records can help inform the public, elected officials have found some loopholes to the Sunshine Laws. Many officials communicate through e-mail. This means that private and public e-mails must be separated if they are requested by someone. This type of redaction means that someone must be paid to separate the e-mails and whoever is requesting the documents is the one who is charged with the fee.

Despite the ways that officials exploit loopholes, public records are an incredible tool that allow reporters to keep a watchful eye on elected officials. Without them, the public may not have any idea about what their elected officials are doing and what their hard earned tax money is being used for. Public records have saved the public millions of dollars.