Delaware Coalition For Open Government Meeting 5 February

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From my email, notice of a DelCOG meeting next week — Thursday, 5 February, to be exact.  They do want you to try to RSVP so they can have enough seats.  Let us know if you are planning to go….

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You are cordially invited:

THE DELAWARE COALITION FOR OPEN GOVERNMENT PRESENTS

Freedom of Information: A National Perspective
Speaker: Charles Davis, NFOIC Executive Director
University of Delaware’s Goodstay Center
2600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Wilmington, Delaware
Thursday, February 5, 2009
6:30 p.m. – social gathering / light refreshments
7 p.m. – program
FREE and open to the public

Scroll down for directions to the Goodstay Center.

Charles Davis, the National Freedom of Information Coalition Executive Director, will take an in-depth look at why freedom of the press, guaranteed by the First Amendment, and the unrestricted free flow of information — both cornerstones of democracy — are under attack. Freedom of Information laws have been weakened, reporters are being subpoenaed to reveal confidential sources and the business of the federal government is increasingly shrouded in secrecy.

My Parental Dilemma

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Last night over dinner my 11 year old daughter announced that her science teacher doesn’t like Joe Biden.  After exchanging a look with my husband I asked, “Why would you think that?”  She then proceeded to explain…

“When we were watching the Inauguration in class Mr. XXXX said that finally Delaware is rid of him.”

Now this isn’t the first time this science teacher has brought politics into the classroom, and I ignored his previous antics since I wasn’t sure what he said about this email – but I could guess.  But now I’m angry.  I’m also in a dilemma.

$606,000,000 in the Red

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Markell's reality check is coming to a town near you. “Government can no longer pretend that it has all the answers,” Markell said during the briefing in the Tatnall Building…

SB 20 — Reapportionment of the General Assembly

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Kudos to are due to Senator Blevins and Representative Kowalko and all of the co-sponsors of this bill to create an The Redistricting Commission for the State of Delaware — an independent commission to supervise the reapportionment of the GA after the next census. Really, this approach to reapportionment is all kinds of steps in the right direction.

This bill takes the work of redistricting out of the political hands of the Legislature and asks this commission to redraw the maps. The GA approves the maps by majority vote, with the Governor approving. In the event there is no agreement on the reapportionment by September 30 of the year the new census data is available from the US Government, there is a provision to hand the task off to the Chancellor of the State of Delaware and a Superior Court Judge, whose work product is binding when complete.

The Commission has eleven members — 10 appointed by GA leadership and the non-voting Chair of the Commission is selected and voted on by the appointed Commission. Each county and the City of Wilmington have to be represented. They are required to operate openly — they have the maintain a website, conduct all meetings in public, and be subject to FOIA. In addition, they may not be elected officials, party officials, may not be a lobbiest, may not run for office in the election following reapportionment and may not be recently retired from the legislature.