Citizens exercising their "right to know" have met few obstacles throughout the Centre County area, although the same can't be said statewide.
Most of the municipalities in the area have seen limited requests for information and haven't run into problems in addressing the citizens' concerns ¾ unlike at the state level, where problems have been reported by The Associated Press.
In a letter written to Gov. Ed Rendell, Open Records Office Executive Director Terry Mutchler said she has met barriers in the implementation of the recently passed law, both with its execution and the training of new officers. Mutchler's letter stated that Rendell's office has told representatives from various agencies not to answer her calls.
According to The Associated Press, Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo said the governor's administration does not believe it is holding any information that is required by law for it to release.
Clay Calvert, co-director for The Pennsylvania Center for the First Amendment, said some reluctance is part of the process.
"The changes in Pennsylvania's Open Records Law were long overdue and came after many years of the commonwealth having some of the worst open records laws in the country," Calvert said. "It thus is not surprising that some government agencies and officials would be rather reluctant and reticent to adopt them in day-to-day practice. It will take time to get everyone on board."
In the Centre County area, requests have been few and far between. Benner Township has received only two requests; Bellefonte Borough, two to three; Port Matilda, one; Centre Hall, one; and Philipsburg, only a few significant requests, local Right to Know officials said. Information requests from citizens for the municipalities include: insurance costs, tax information, police incident reporting, mailbox replacements, open records training, health care providers and payroll wages.
The new Right to Know law requires all agencies, including municipalities, to appoint local officers to handle requests. Both Patton Township and State College Borough officials said requests have not been different since the law's implementation -- they're answering the same questions they did before the new legislation.
Calvert said lack of requests does not mean the change was not necessary.
"The fact that citizens so far have not frequently taken advantage of the new changes to the Open Records Law does not mean the changes are for naught," Calvert said. "Any single request is important by itself."
State College is the only reported municipality in the area that has denied requests. It also has one request that is in the process of appeal, initiated by The Daily Collegian. After acquiring a copy of the State College Police Department's official manual from the police, the Collegian found several sections to be redacted in part, which is now the focus of the appeal.
The borough is waiting for the decision to be made, Assistant Borough Secretary Cynthia Hanscom said.
Hanscom also said there have been instances where the borough was unable to fill an open records request because the request was out of its jurisdiction.
"In the case where a record needs to be pulled, we would send it to the state because they are the official holders of that record," Hanscom said. She added that if the request regards state law or a general question, State College will always provide that information to its citizens.
Hanscom said the borough is constantly keeping an eye on the appeals process to make sure it is in compliance. She added the state Right to Know officials have been helpful in answering the borough's questions.
"We really haven't changed any type of policy since the passing of the Open Records Act," she said. "Only thing that we have changed is the way we record the requests that come in."
