Owens First to Sign Transparency Pledge
COLUMBUS, OHIO – Robert Owens, the Independent candidate for Ohio attorney general announced today his endorsement of the Buckeye Institute’s “Pledge for Transparency and Openness in Government.” As of Monday, Owens is the only candidate for attorney general to sign the Transparency Pledge.
“From day one, I’ve said that transparency would be a major focus of my candidacy, and more importantly my time in office as attorney general” said Owens. “Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and we certainly have a lot of disinfecting to do throughout state government. Too many scandals have been allowed to occur because of secrecy. Today, I am challenging my opponents to join me in this pledge.”
The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions, a nonpartisan think tank, this month released a “White Paper on Transparency.” The policy brief also included a call to all public officeholders and candidates to sign the Transparency Pledge. Mike Maurer, director of the Center for Transparent and Accountable Government at the Buckeye Institute, authored the paper which describes the state of Ohio’s shortcomings regarding transparency. It faulted specifically the state’s failure to provide financial and awarded contracts information “in a readily available searchable (online) format.”
“Transparency and open government crosses ideologies and is equally supported, and equally opposed, by both major political parties,” Maurer said upon the release of the paper.
Owens echoed the sentiments, saying “both parties have failed the people of Ohio by not acting to open government records to media and public scrutiny. Politicians on both sides have stonewalled public records requests. There is no clearer illustration of this problem than Marc Dann, who campaigned on a platform of ‘restoring integrity,’ but proposed no policy solutions to ensure that change would occur. Now we have a Democratic candidate saying ‘trust me, I’m different’ and a Republican candidate calling for more bureaucracy to deal with corruption. Ohioans want integrity for a change – and integrity can only be assured with transparency.”
The Buckeye Institute’s Center for Transparent and Accountable Government also sponsors the website, www.ohiosunshine.org, which aims to facilitate citizen involvement in the process of expanding transparency.
“The legitimacy of Ohio government rests on the consent of the governed, but that consent doesn’t mean much when so much of government occurs hidden, or deeply buried,” said Buckeye Institute President David Hansen. “Twenty-First Century information technology should be applied to draw back the curtain that stands between government and the people.”
“I really have to thank Mike Maurer and the Buckeye Institute for their work on this issue,” remarked Owens. “They are helping to bring more sunshine to government operations in Ohio. So, the question now is why aren’t my opponents in the AG race talking about the importance of transparency and accountability in state government?”
Details on the Transparency Pledge can be obtained at: www.ohiosunshine.org/index.php/Attorney_General
A copy of the white paper can be found on the Buckeye Institute website: www.buckeyeinstitute.org/article/1162
