Access to Public Records

The Freedom of Information Act and the Florida Sunshine Law are federal and state laws that encourage oversight of government officials by the public. The City of Cedar Key set an excellent example of making public records available to the public when the Commission put its minutes and other documents online via Cedar Key News. Citizens have the right to know if government officials are doing the job, well and legally. That goes for the State Attorney and his staff.

The Levy County office of the State Attorney is under the State Attorney based in Gainesville. The record, successes and failures to convict those reported by the sheriff and police, will help voters decide if the State Attorney and his staff are getting the job done.

In response to a rumor that felony cases in Levy County have not been effectively prosecuted, Cedar Key News requested information from the State Attorney's office. Five months have passed. Several telephone calls and e-mail requests have served as reminders, without a single piece of information being provided. Cedar Key News asked for the number of felonies reported by police agencies, the number of reports acted upon by the State Attorney and the outcomes of all cases. What could be simpler? The number of cases, and did anyone get convicted?

Now there is a new man in charge of the Levy County office of the State Attorney. The former man in charge is said to be running for a seat on the bench. The purpose of this editorial is to shake loose information that will aid voters in choosing the next State Attorney, and decide who deserves to be a judge. We will publish the records when we get them.

(Editor`s Note: as of this date the requested information has not been received)