Comments submitted to Portland City Commissioners, Feb. 5, 2020

Dear Portland City Commissioners:

You are being asked today to authorize the Portland City Attorney to appeal a judge’s order that the city no longer improperly overcharge for public records.

Oregon’s records law remains the public’s ally. Thanks to the law, prosecutors have secured public corruption convictions that include a Portland city manager. The law’s use has triggered important reforms and millions in savings.

The Oregon Territory Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists encourages the council to reject this appeal and pursue best-practices reforms:

• In September 2018, at the request of Mayor Ted Wheeler’s then-Chief of Staff, SPJ facilitated input from 15 reporters who dealt with the city. Among the input: city records-fee practices appeared to violate public records law. The city should review records-fee practices to ensure transparency.

• As was recommended to Mayor Wheeler’s staff in September 2018, the city of Portland should establish a formal council policy, ordinance or resolution to ensure compliance with the law’s pro-disclosure intent.

• As SPJ noted to the City Council on June 19, 2019, the city should not enter a database contract that fails to anticipate the need to export public- information data in response to a records request. Current city practices can be a self-inflicted barrier to transparency, at odds with the law.

Oregon SPJ stands ready to assist should the city desire to address these areas.

Rachel Alexander President, Oregon Territory Chapter, Society of Professional Journalists