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Defiler of Cornflakes
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Attorney General draws line in sand on open records
[size=-1]Associated Press[/size]
ATLANTA - Georgia's attorney general has warned two leading business groups he is prepared to enforce his ruling that they must open to public scrutiny the details of their proposal to lure the NASCAR hall of fame to Georgia and their failed bid for the Super Bowl.
"The people of Georgia have a right to know how their resources are being spent and pledged, and I will take the appropriate actions necessary to ensure compliance with state law," Attorney General Thurbert Baker said in a prepared statement Wednesday.
Baker ruled a week ago that both the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and Central Atlanta Progress had violated Georgia's Open Records Act by refusing to release the bids, which pledge millions in public money and involve elected officials such as Gov. Sonny Perdue and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin.
An attorney for the two groups wrote Baker Monday that they are private organizations and not subject to the Open Records Act.
"The people of Georgia have a right to know how their resources are being spent and pledged," Baker said in the statement Wednesday, "and I will take the appropriate actions necessary to ensure compliance with state law."
He issued the ruling at the request of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which originally sought the bids under the Open Records Act. When that request was refused, attorneys for the newspaper requested a ruling from Baker's office.
Leaders of the two business groups contended in an e-mail sent to business leaders this week and reported by the newspaper that disclosing the bids "could have devastating consequences for our job growth and the economy."
Signed by Sam Williams, president of the Metro Chamber, and A.J. Robinson, president of Central Atlanta Progress, the e-mail also argued, "Had this happened in the past, there may have been no Olympics here, no Philips Arena, no Georgia Dome, no Super Bowls, no NCAA Final Fours, and far fewer employers relocating their businesses here. Competitor states do not take such an expansive view of their open records laws."
Gov. Sonny Perdue is siding with the business groups.
A spokeswoman, Heather Hedrick, said the newspaper's editorial position has "made it clear that the AJC would gladly sacrifice new jobs and increased tourism to Georgia, just to get a scoop."
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Editor Julia Wallace said: "This is not about getting a scoop. This is about the public knowing how millions of their tax dollars could be spent. Open government does not conflict with economic development. Never has. Never will. In fact, it enhances the process, creating a better outcome."
[size=-1]Associated Press[/size]
ATLANTA - Georgia's attorney general has warned two leading business groups he is prepared to enforce his ruling that they must open to public scrutiny the details of their proposal to lure the NASCAR hall of fame to Georgia and their failed bid for the Super Bowl.
"The people of Georgia have a right to know how their resources are being spent and pledged, and I will take the appropriate actions necessary to ensure compliance with state law," Attorney General Thurbert Baker said in a prepared statement Wednesday.
Baker ruled a week ago that both the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and Central Atlanta Progress had violated Georgia's Open Records Act by refusing to release the bids, which pledge millions in public money and involve elected officials such as Gov. Sonny Perdue and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin.
An attorney for the two groups wrote Baker Monday that they are private organizations and not subject to the Open Records Act.
"The people of Georgia have a right to know how their resources are being spent and pledged," Baker said in the statement Wednesday, "and I will take the appropriate actions necessary to ensure compliance with state law."
He issued the ruling at the request of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which originally sought the bids under the Open Records Act. When that request was refused, attorneys for the newspaper requested a ruling from Baker's office.
Leaders of the two business groups contended in an e-mail sent to business leaders this week and reported by the newspaper that disclosing the bids "could have devastating consequences for our job growth and the economy."
Signed by Sam Williams, president of the Metro Chamber, and A.J. Robinson, president of Central Atlanta Progress, the e-mail also argued, "Had this happened in the past, there may have been no Olympics here, no Philips Arena, no Georgia Dome, no Super Bowls, no NCAA Final Fours, and far fewer employers relocating their businesses here. Competitor states do not take such an expansive view of their open records laws."
Gov. Sonny Perdue is siding with the business groups.
A spokeswoman, Heather Hedrick, said the newspaper's editorial position has "made it clear that the AJC would gladly sacrifice new jobs and increased tourism to Georgia, just to get a scoop."
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Editor Julia Wallace said: "This is not about getting a scoop. This is about the public knowing how millions of their tax dollars could be spent. Open government does not conflict with economic development. Never has. Never will. In fact, it enhances the process, creating a better outcome."
Good for them, I hope they have to release everything. It's amazing the hard-on ATL and us have for this hall of fame. Disgusting really.
