Objections are preposterous

| 29 Sep 2011 | 09:22

    To the editor: The story “Clouds gather over Sunshine Act” in your edition of August 25 illustrates that West Milford’s Republicans prefer preposterous political rant over facts. Let me illustrate: According to your reporter Terry McGahan, during a public discussion of the proposed Sunshine Act at the last township council meeting: (a.) one speaker forecast that an ordinance to enhance the public’s right to know information about how their government is working might plunge West Milford into “bankruptcy;” and (b.) another speaker was concerned that the Sunshine Act would expose his children to pedophiles. Does anyone think the citizens of West Milford are gullible enough to believe such outrageous statements? The bottom line is that opposition to the Sunshine Act is primarily being mounted by a relatively few Republicans who will oppose anything proposed by Democrats, regardless of the proposal’s merits. Those same Republicans also can be counted on to oppose anything I support simply because they think anything I support has to be wrong, regardless of whether or not it is in the public’s interest. Despite how those few Republicans rant, in reality the proposed Sunshine Act would lead to township policy that would: (a) make agendas, minutes, resolutions, ordinances, and certain other records promptly available to the public on the Internet, (b) make electronic versions of other important government records available at an affordable cost, (c) make the cost of photocopies and other records more affordable than they are now, (d) open more meetings to the public, and (e) increase the opportunities for public participation at all government meetings. Your readers should keep in mind that anyone who opposes what the Sunshine Act is intended to accomplish is against good government, regardless of their political affiliation. Martin O’Shea West Milford