Locked out of local government: Residents decry increased secrecy among towns, counties, schools

By ERIC SCICCHITANO/CNHI NEWS and JOSH KELETY/AP

A collaboration between The Associated Press and CNHI News has found it’s getting harder for the public to access information at the local government level in many states, including among school districts, townships and county boards. Open government advocates say high fees, delays and outright refusals from local governments to release information are among the common complaints. Researchers say local agencies generally lack sufficient staff and infrastructure to efficiently process records requests. They also point to the decline of local media institutions, which have limited resources to wage costly legal battles over access to meetings and records.