Imagine for a minute being asked to comment on a debate about an agenda item and then not knowing what was said and arguably decided before your comment period?
That is the case of the University of Washington Board of Regents.
The same Board of Regents debating this Wednesday in some “Governance Committee” about starting the process to divest from Israel. One can read the agenda item here.
Public comment is the following day at 8:30 AM. I’ve registered to give remote tesitmony. But barring a small miracle, I will not know what the Governance Committee recommends. Worse yet, this just shows a democratic deficit at more than just the UW Board of Regents.
To me, this process goes against a Heather “Newsbrooke” Brooke, Ph.D. principle from her book “Your Right to Know”:
Getting information is only the beginning. Transparency in government must be accompanied by the public's right to be heard and to influence government policy. The first objective is to get the facts, for without facts we are powerless to oppose government decisions or bring about change. The next step is to open up the decision-making process so we finally have a government accountable to those it serves. This should be our right and not a privilege.
How can we get the facts and open up decision-making processes with a Board of Regents so hell-bent on having a debate before a decision? Also, in a large state with a medium transit budget where a major financial decision is about to be made, what about the taxpaying citizens of Washington having a view and a say?
A decision to go down the road to divest Israel is anti-Semitism, pure and simple. Additionally, this will cost Washington State taxpayers millions - and with the Trump Administration rightfully cutting off Columbia University for anti-Semitism, is the UW next?
I hope not. The public rightfully concerned about state coffers already being billions in deficit has a right to invest into this matter.
Politically, I will say this:
a) I voted against the 34-count felon with at least six (6!) bankruptcies
b) I understand those Jews who did.
c) October 7, 2023, and September 12, 2024 are calls to the colors. I remember very damn well what the NATO response was on September 12, 2001 - still tears me up.
d) Where the hell is the Washington Coalition for Open Government? It should be the Coalition’s “September 12 moment” after the Regents were overrun and bad processes at the Regents were exposed. The moment we walk in and rebuild our democracy. The moment we honor our Husky heroes like Newsbrooke.
Instead, the Coalition for Open Government is far too small to meet the needs of today’s defense of the Best State in the Union. Right now, we have the radar pointed at the State Legislature, working to freeze many bad bills on the public records side. We have some award diplomacy to carry out.
Imagine if we had a leader say it’s time for news media to target investing 2% of their budgets into the Coalition or work supporting the Coalition. It’s time for Washingtonians to understand that threats to open government do not just come from here:
Washington State Legislature
But also here:
A transit board meeting
Oh and also here:
S-W City Hall and Neighboring Ballfield
It’s up to US to defend democracy. Nobody is asking you or me to be Pete “Maverick” Mithcell or Heather “Newsbrooke” Brooke with your hair on fire. But decisions are made by those who show up.
The pattern is full to talk to the UW Regents on Thursday. But the Coalition for Open Government needs you.
We also need to freeze HB 1055. It’s a bad bill intended to direct open government reform in a direction that denies appeals. As the Coalition explains it:
HB 1055: “Relating to enhancing access to public records through studying the efficacy of establishing the Washington office of transparency ombuds as an independent state agency”
Directs a study of a possible administrative agency to handle initial Public Records Act disputes. Directs that the study focus on an agency created in Pennsylvania, which has approved only about one-third of requesters’ appeals. Would create huge burdens on requesters seeking to access judicial enforcement of the PRA, as voters approved overwhelmingly at the ballot box. WashCOG vigorously opposes this legislation.
5 PM Wednesday, if the bill doesn’t get out of the Washington State House of Representatives, we’re good.
I intend for this newsletter to be about open government issues as they appear…