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Megan Rhyne

Executive Director of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government
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Blog Posts

Issues

VCOG: Surprise! We Just Spent Your Money

Discussing and approving new agenda items without notice blindsides the taxpaying public.

Teaching Students about Open Government

If open government is a hard concept for some adults to grasp, how can we hope to reach the younger generations?

Changes to Virginia's FOIA Law

There are changes coming to Virginia's FOIA on July 1, but they are blessedly few.

Issues

The Public Doesn't Like Secrecy, Not at UVA, Not in the Town of Podunk

UVA's Board of Visitors and ALL public bodies should aspire to exceed the requirements of the letter of the FOIA law.

Issues

Of Course an Email Is Not a Meeting. Right?

Exchanging email may not have been a meeting in Fairfax case, but there's always the potential.

Government

Let the Public Speak

Limits on how and when the public can address a public body can get too restrictive; some even seem retaliatory.

Government

Bodies Should Be Present at Public Body Meetings

A workgroup will study possible changes to the rules governing e-meetings, but in-person meetings are still preferable.

Civil Penalties Are There for a Reason

What good are FOIA's penalties if judges are unwilling to impose them?

Campaign Finance: Open to Your Own Conclusions

Is money in politics bad? Maybe, maybe not. But to decide, we all need access to information.

Government

Carve Outs Carve Up Access to Public Records

Public records should be available to all of the public, not to certain special segments of the population.

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