Chronicle Editorial

Trumpeting transparency in Iowa
 
     March 13-19 is Sunshine Week in Iowa, an annual celebration of “sunshine laws” that create statutes for open government at the state, county and municipal levels.
     These policies help keep government officials in check and are a vital aspect to our democracy. Budgets are made available to the masses, public hearings give taxpayers a chance to voice their opinions, and record requests allow citizens to obtain information that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. Noticeable or not, sunshine laws play a very important role in our daily lives.
     Iowa has a decent record at upholding government accountability. Four years ago the state established the Iowa Public Information Board, which created an outlet for citizens who believe they were wrongly denied access to government documents and meetings. The board can seek informal resolutions for disclosure requests, conduct formal investigations and is capable of sanctioning those who break open government laws by issuing civil fines. The board has been a runaway success and provides a sort of insurance policy for citizens who’ve been kept in the dark by their public officials.
     However, these safeguards haven’t created a utopia of transparent government that some would have you believe. Many obstacles exist when trying to obtain public records, whether intentional or unintentional. Sunshine Week allows us to reflect on those policies and look at ways to improve transparency at all levels of government. Sometimes it seems like we take steps backwards in this regard, but it’s important to remember that public knowledge is the No. 1 priority, not the government officials that we elect.
 
Dancin' time
 
     The state scored huge recognition Sunday when Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa were selected for this year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. It marked the second-straight year all three teams made the Big Dance, which is certainly a huge feat no matter how you cut it.
     It seems each one of these teams could make a decent run into the bracket. All three have knocked off a No. 1-ranked team once this year, and they’ve pulled off some other incredible upsets as well. Nothing is certain, but fans across the state would be forgiven for feeling disappointed if at least one of these schools doesn’t make the Sweet 16. Pundits have given them decent odds at doing so and each one is more than capable of pushing the envelope further than last year.
     Making things even more interesting is the slate of opening round games scheduled at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. This is the first year the capital city has hosted tournament games, and the lineup isn’t mediocre by any means. Blue blood programs Kansas, Connecticut, Indiana and Kentucky are all headed to Des Moines later this week. That’s an extremely exciting draw and probably the best opening round schedule in the entire country. Though it would have been nice to land one of our state schools in Des Moines, Iowans have no reason to scoff at the final lineup.
     Fans across the state should be proud of our schools and excited about the week ahead. All three teams have had their ups and downs this season, but the slate gets wiped clean once tournament time rolls around. Whether you root for the Hawkeyes, Cyclones or Panthers, we can all agree that this is a thrilling time for the state of Iowa. We typically don’t have this much skin in the game during the Big Dance and it’s certainly fun now that we do.