Tag: first amendment to the united states constitution

BOSTON — State Auditor Diana DiZoglio is hitting the road to rally voter support for her ballot campaign to open up the state Legislature’s financial books.

DiZoglio said she plans to begin a 141-mile trek across Massachusetts to raise awareness of Question 1, which asks voters in the election Nov. 5 to approve a performance and financial audit of the state Legislature.

She argues that the audit would ensure the Legislature is operating in accordance with government rules and regulations.

The Methuen Democrat’s “Walking for Sunshine” sojourn was to get underway Friday night in Great Barrington, where she was to meet supporters at a local bar before hitting the long road to Boston.

DiZoglio said she will meet with voters at nightly events along the way and urge them to “demand greater transparency for the state Legislature” by approving the referendum.

DiZoglio, a former state lawmaker, launched her review of the Legislature more than a year ago but said she has not been able to receive access to the people and records her office needs for a forensic investigation. She has framed the plan as part of a broader effort to improve transparency and accountability in state government.

House Speaker Ron Mariano, D-Quincy, and Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, have so far blocked her efforts to conduct the investigation of the House and Senate’s inner workings, calling the proposed audit “unconstitutional” and claiming it would violate the separation of powers.

The effort was dealt a blow last year when Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s office rejected DiZoglio’s request to file a lawsuit to force the audit, saying a review of state laws, judicial rulings and the historical record suggests she does not have standing to file the legal challenge.

But DiZoglio and other supporters gathered enough signatures from voters to put the question on the November ballot.

“We believe taxpayers deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent, and they deserve transparency, accessibility and accountability from elected officials,” the Yes on 1 campaign said in a statement.

“But instead of taking meaningful action that makes life better in the Commonwealth, they continue to be characterized as one of the least efficient, least productive legislatures in the country, plagued by late-night horse trading and closed-door discussions, with constituencies cut out of the process.”

The state’s restrictive records law consistently earns Massachusetts failing grades from First Amendment groups.

In 2016, the state overhauled its public records law for the first time in decades, limiting how much state and local governments and police departments may charge for public records and setting deadlines for agencies to respond to requests for information, among other changes.

But lawmakers left in place many of the exemptions shielding the Legislature, courts and law enforcement agencies from disclosing certain records.

Recent polls have shown voters strongly support for Question 1 – one of five referendums on the November ballot – which so far has not drawn any organized opposition.

Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.

BOSTON — State Auditor Diana DiZoglio is hitting the road to rally voter support for her ballot campaign to open up the state Legislature’s financial books.

DiZoglio said she plans to begin a 141-mile trek across Massachusetts to raise awareness for Question 1, which asks voters in the Nov. 5 elections to approve a performance and financial audit of the state Legislature, which she argues will ensure that it is operating in accordance with government rules and regulations.

The Methuen Democrat’s “Walking for Sunshine” sojourn gets underway Friday night in Great Barrington, where she will meet supporters at a local bar before hitting the long road to Boston.

DiZoglio said she will meet with voters at nightly events along the way and urge them to “demand greater transparency for the state Legislature” by approving the referendum.

A former state lawmaker, DiZoglio launched her review of the Legislature more than a year ago but said she hasn’t been able to get access to individuals and records her office needs for a forensic investigation. She has framed the plan as part of a broader effort to improve transparency and accountability in state government.

House Speaker Ron Mariano, D-Quincy, and Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, have so far blocked her efforts to conduct the investigation into the House and Senate’s inner workings, calling the proposed audit “unconstitutional” and claiming it would violate the separation of powers.

The effort was dealt a blow last year when Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s office rejected DiZoglio’s request to file a lawsuit to force the audit, saying a review of state laws, judicial rulings and the historical record, suggests she doesn’t have standing to file the legal challenge.

But DiZoglio and other supporters gathered enough signatures from voters to put the question on the November ballot.

“We believe taxpayers deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent, and they deserve transparency, accessibility and accountability from elected officials,” the Yes on 1 campaign said in a statement. “But instead of taking meaningful action that makes life better in the Commonwealth, they continue to be characterized as one of the least efficient, least productive legislatures in the country, plagued by late-night horse trading and closed-door discussions, with constituencies cut out of the process.”

The state’s restrictive records law consistently earns Massachusetts failing grades from First Amendment groups.

In 2016, the state overhauled its public records law for the first time in decades, limiting how much state and local governments and police departments may charge for public records and setting deadlines for agencies to respond to requests for information, among other changes.

But lawmakers left in place many of the exemptions shielding the Legislature, courts and law enforcement agencies from disclosing certain records.

Recent polls have shown voters strongly support for Question 1 — one of five referendums on the November ballot — which so far hasn’t drawn any organized opposition.

Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com