Letter: Honest newspaper reporting now even more important

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Editor,

For long decades Washington state has done an important, democracy promoting good thing, by pursuing government transparency.

Our county implemented the effort by instituting citizen advisory committees in order to maintain relevance and contact with its citizenry.

For years, even decades, the system has worked to keep democracy pertinent and prevent the “Tammany Hall” sort of thing that happens in the secretive “smoke filled” rooms behind closed doors.

But COVID-19 is changing all this. A dark shade is falling over the transparency window.

Darkness breeds opportunity for corruption. Alarm bells should be ringing.

Committee meetings, like all other gatherings, are having to be canceled or “virtually” replaced.

Meeting room doors are being closed leaving transparency to a keyhole view of what goes on. The principle of open forum is being squeezed.

On the good side, the importance of honest newspaper reporting is now magnified and appreciation for it should grow.

Keep doing what you have over the decades. Island County and Whidbey Island needs you more than ever.

Al and Barbara Williams

Oak Harbor