The state seal at the entrance to the Maine State House in Augusta. (Jim Neuger/Maine Morning Star)
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Sunshine Week, which was created by journalists with the goal to raise awareness around your right to know and the need for open government.
The effort found footing in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, when Tim Franklin, who was the top editor at the Orlando Sentinel at the time, noticed that data and information began disappearing as lawmakers pushed for more exemptions to open meetings and public records laws in the name of national security.
Looking back, those early days serve as a warning for what would come. This year, Sunshine Week comes as public information and files are actively being deleted from federal government websites and databases.
And just as they have for decades, journalists continue to push for accountability and transparency by lawmakers who were elected to serve the people.
At Maine Morning Star, we fundamentally believe that accurate, nonpartisan reporting on local government should be a public good so that all constituents are empowered to make informed decisions. Digging through public records, attending public meetings, pressing lawmakers for answers to tough questions are a huge part of that work.
And we do our best to contribute to this, day in and out. In our legislative reporting, we don’t just focus on vote outcomes. We also document the debate over what’s in and out of each bill, how it changes, and who would be most impacted by the legislation.
This is particularly true of our coverage of the state budget, which has been a notoriously opaque process over the years, with key decisions often being made in the middle of the night or behind closed doors. Reporter Emma Davis has doggedly followed the budget process, highlighting public hearings, rule changes — and those times that legislation ended up dying a quiet death due to lack of funding. These are some of the most consequential decisions made in the Statehouse, and they are often the hardest to track.
We also make sure all of this important reporting is free to everyone. As a nonprofit, we are powered by donations and thus are able to make our stories available to all readers, without a paywall, and to other outlets that may be interested in republishing our work. This model helps our light shine even brighter.
In Maine, the Right to Know law mandates public access to government records and proceedings. These details are what set us apart and help us uphold our commitment to this important right.
YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.