Letter: Sunshine Week puts light on the FOIA

Sunshine Week, March 15 through 21, marks an annual nationwide discussion about access to public information and the important role that we have in keeping our communities healthy, vibrant and strong.

It has been nearly 50 years since the Freedom of Information Act, which grants any person the right to access information from our federal government, was signed into law. It plays a critical role in making our government more open and transparent by shedding sunlight on our government, and empowering citizens to strengthen and improve it. Transparency in government operations is the cornerstone of effective government, and a key ingredient in fostering the public’s trust.

We all have the right to know what our government is doing, its successes and failures. Exercising our right to know gives us power. It allows us to hold elected officials accountable on Election Day and beyond.

For decades, members of the League of Women Voters of Glendale/Burbank have focused on transparency and accountability, which are critical to a healthy and trusted government. It is important to ensure that all voices are heard as decisions are made about our community’s future. For more information about Sunshine Week, visit lwv.org/content/sunshine-week.

Thomas Carson
Burbank

Editor’s Note: The writer is president of the League of Women Voters of Glendale/Burbank.