Editor’s Note: The following editorial was written by The Lapeer County Press. We wholeheartedly agree with it.
As our state and county roads and bridges continue to fall apart beneath our tires for lack of comprehensive and sensible funding from our state legislature, the lame duck session in Lansing continues to gin up such profound bills as the one that came out of a House committee on Wednesday that would bar state university athletes from unionizing.
One such bill that smacks of a solution looking for a problem is HB 5560 that was passed in the House on Thursday by a vote of 62-47. Our own State Rep., Kevin Daley, wisely voted against the bill that would phase out publication of public notices in newspapers by 2025, a mere 10 years from now. Instead, those critical public notices would be moved to websites operated by municipalities posting the notices, which sort of calls to the mind the fox and henhouse scenario.
The bill provides no mechanisms ? or funding ? for third-party verification of publication, protection against power outages or hackers, or equipment and training for the municipal workers who would be charged with posting and archiving the notices.
The bill was co-sponsored by Amanda Price (R-Holland) who also heads the House Committee on Local Government where the bill was debated several times before being moved out of committee two weeks ago. In our visit before the committee to testify on behalf of our readers? right to know, Price and many of her fellow committee members seemed predisposed to pass the bill regardless of testimony that called into question assumptions of the newspaper business in general, the lack of internet access for many of Michigan’s rural, elderly and low-income citizens, and supposed cost savings to taxpayers.
For starters, publication of government public notices ? such as zoning boards of appeal schedules and letting of bids for goods and services ? is a minuscule part of the overall budgets of these municipalities. Secondly, many of Michigan’s townships and villages ? including a few in Lapeer County ? don’t even have websites that are up and running. The few dollars saved by cutting newspaper publication of the notices will hardly pay for the technology and training needed build and maintain the websites.
Then there is the access question. One of the reasons the print editions of community newspapers in Lapeer County and elsewhere remain so popular in an age when supposedly ‘everyone? is online is because everyone is not online. Many areas are simply without a practical means to connect to the internet. Many citizens choose not to connect either out of household budget restrictions or simply because they lack the tech savvy skills or interest. Who says this is going to change for all of Michigan’s residents in only 10 years? Apparently the 62 state reps that voted ‘yes? on this bill had their crystal balls working.
But the most egregious thing about HB 5560 is the ability it would give unscrupulous ? or just sloppy ? local elected officials to conduct the public’s business without public oversight and input.
Ask yourself: If a notice about a public meeting for a special assessment or other critical matter were posted only on the website of your city, village or township, would you see it? If you said ‘yes,? good for you and your commitment to stay connected to your local government. We think a good many more may have said, ‘I’m not sure? or ‘no.? Out of sight, out of mind is human nature. If the public notices disappear from newspapers, many people ? most people, we think ? simply won’t be aware of the meetings, bids and other local government activities that are now made public through the mandated publication of notices in local papers.
By contrast, and in spite of the pundits? claims to the contrary, community newspapers like this one continue to be the go-to source for local news and information. According to American Opinion Research:
? Newspapers are the number one source for local/community news.
? Seventy percent of Michigan adults read a print newspaper on an average Sunday.
? Eighty-seven percent of Michigan Adults (6.7 million) read a Michigan newspaper during an average seven-day period.
? Ninety-five percent of 18-29 year-olds read a newspaper each week in Michigan.
HB 5560 now moves to the state Senate where it will go to committee, could be debated and possibly moved quickly to a vote on the Senate floor in the last two weeks of this lame duck session.
Before that vote happens, the Oxford Leader urges its loyal readers to contact state Sen. James Marleau (R-Lake Orion) and express their opposition to this ill-conceived and dangerous bill.