Author: Christa Westerberg

Recently, I was asked to present at a conference on open government held by the Wisconsin Counties Association, as someone who uses and promotes the use of the state’s open records law. What did I want this roomful of records custodians to know? Thus, the Top Ten Things Requesters Want list was born. It’s not […]

“Case closed.” These are words you expect to hear when a court case is completed-the defendant has been found guilty or innocent, the parties have settled, or the case is dismissed. But “case closed” may have another meaning in Wisconsin. Currently, dozens of ongoing cases in Wisconsin are fully or partially sealed from public view, […]

Recent Wisconsin Supreme Court rulings present a mixed bag that still lends some support to open government advocates by providing new guidance to citizens and government bodies. First, the open government wins: — State of Wisconsin v. Beaver Dam Area Development Corporation clarified when allegedly private entities are subject to the public records and open […]

The Wisconsin Supreme Court is making open government rulings at an unprecedented clip. Two rulings so far support the public’s right to access — and three upcoming cases will further determine how open Wisconsin government will be to the public. Last term, the court decided two important cases: — Buswell v. Tomah Area School District, […]

This is the story of a bizarre state law that mocks the notion of “public information.” It’s about taxes. We need them. We hate them. We debate them. But often this debate is light on facts and heavy on spin and propaganda. One perennial question is how Wisconsin business taxes compare with those in other […]