Don’t prop up these propositions

Wasilla city officials don’t want voters to confuse the city’s Proposition 1 with Proposition 1 on the Mat-Su Borough’s ballot in Tuesday’s general election.

The city’s Prop. 1 asks to exempt Wasilla from Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) reporting requirements. On the borough ballot, a “yes” vote on Prop. 1 would eliminate the borough’s current manager form of government in favor of a strong mayor.

Uniquely different concepts, but both will appear as Proposition 1 on local ballots.

We can see why Wasilla Mayor Verne Rupright expressed concern in a story in today’s Frontiersman that those who may be against the borough’s Prop. 1 could mistakenly defeat the city question.

A larger question we have, however, is why Wasilla, after decades of operating within rules and guidelines established by APOC, feels it’s necessary to make it more difficult for local residents to glean public information reported by political candidates and appointees.

Under Prop. 1, Wasilla will still require the same level of disclosure APOC does, including potential conflicts of interest and financial disclosures, but that information won’t be made public online. If someone wants to know that information, they’ll have to make a trip to city hall.

The detailed level of reporting required by APOC, and that the information is so easily accessible on the Internet, is apparently discouraging some at local levels of government from running for office or agreeing to sit on boards and committees.

Palmer residents elected to be exempt from APOC from the beginning in 1974. Wasilla, on the other hand, has been subject to APOC regulations for the past 36 years.

We would understand if the city had a problem with some of those requirements or with information public officials are required to report. But that’s not the case. The only problem here, apparently, is that the information is available online.

What that means is the sole purpose of Wasilla Prop. 1 is to make this information more difficult for the public to access. That’s not good policy. In an age where information is more accessible and travels faster than ever, Wasilla — and Palmer as well, for that matter — need to embrace this technology to allow the broadest range of public access possible.

If they don’t like what APOC requires in its disclosures, then they need to take that up with the state Legislature.

We’re glad the city of Wasilla isn’t advocating a reduced level of disclosure, but the Internet is a tremendous communication tool the city should embrace, not shun.

Oh, and don’t let the Mat-Su Borough sneak this by us as well — Prop. 5 on the borough ballot you’ll get Tuesday asks for the same exemption.

Confusion between Wasilla and the borough’s propositions aside, we recommend voting no on Wasilla Prop. 1 and borough Propositions 1 and 5.