Open Government: Does Anyone Care?

Dear readers,

This past week, Elk Grove Patch—along with media outlets and non-profit organizations around the country—celebrated Sunshine Week, seven days dedicated to checking up on what local and state governments are up to and holding them accountable.

Earlier in the week, I posted asking readers what government records they'd like to take a peek at. I asked them to submit their questions—whether about councilmember salaries or goings-on at the school board—and we'd find out if the information was available to the public under freedom of information laws, and how to get it.

The response: a deafening silence.

It's not that users of the site weren't engaging with their local public agencies this week. Reader Lori Porter took the time to call up the Elk Grove Police Department and ask them whether alcohol was a factor in .  (Lori, you can find the answer in .) And another user showed us an he sent to the city's planning commission.

But no one took me up on my offer. I told some other Patch editors this, and we started to wonder: How curious are people about what their local and state governments are doing? Do they feel that they have all the information they need? Or are freedom of information laws simply something only journalists care about?

Please weigh in with your comments, Grovesters. Inquiring minds want to know...