Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Mess with the bull…

Posted in:

Illinois

A bill that would have taken legal notices out of the newspaper will not be making its way to the House floor.

Rep. Joe Sosnowski’s House Bill 261 would eliminate the requirement for local governments to post public notices in local newspapers. Instead, it would require governments to post notices only on their websites.

The bill failed in committee Thursday by a 5-6 vote. […]

“This was an initial litmus test at the committee level,” he said. “I think, generally, the committee was open to the legislation. We’ve just got some fine-tuning to do.”

All legislators have community newspapers in their districts. And all Downstate and suburban legislators have local newspapers which publish these required notices for a hefty fee. And pretty much all community newspapers have been struggling financially for years. Every dollar helps. And, not all, but just about all those newspapers are generally friendly toward their legislators, regularly publishing their press releases, having them over for lunch with the publisher, etc.

Dinging those papers could very well be the right fiscal move in trying times, but it’s dangerous politics…

Rep. Don Moffitt, R-Gilson, said some of his constituents do not have access to the Web and rely on printed newspapers for their information. He voted for the bill on the condition that Sosnowski work with the Illinois Press Association and others to reach a compromise on how to reach individuals without computers or Internet access.

Yeah. That’ll happen.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 10:36 am

Comments

==how to reach individuals without computers or Internet access==

The newspapers could offer to send out special mailings or send employees door-to-door. All for a fee, of course.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 10:43 am
The only time I buy a newspaper is for the Thanksgiving ads (which my wife makes me do). Other than that I haven’t bought a paper in years. I get that some people don’t have the internet but like it or not the web is the way information is passed on these days.

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 10:48 am
Darn those nefarious “Special Interests” down there in Springfield.

Comment by SAP Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 10:49 am
I bet the percentage of people without computers is less than the percentage of people that don’t have a subscription to a newspaper.

The GA publishes notices of committee times online and it seems to be working fine…

It is fine if a legislator is opposed to the bill, but be honest as to why.

Comment by Salty Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 10:49 am
This is a great day for newspapers of Illinois.

This is a bad day for the taxpayers of Illinois.

Comment by sleepysol Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 10:50 am
Why would solons who like editorial endorsements and favorable press coverage vote against this great “reform” legislation?

Comment by Norseman Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 10:56 am
Cue the irony when …. newspaper editors and writers decry for governmental bodies to look for innovative ways to save taxpayers’ money ….

Comment by Diogenes in DuPage Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 10:56 am
Just confirms the lack of backbone in the legislature.

The message to Springfield has to be to stop the unnecessary spending one dollar at a time if need be, but stop spending money you do not have.

Comment by plutocrat03 Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 10:59 am
This is the right decision.

1. This legislation might be ripe in 2025, but not yet in 2015. There are still a good chunk of the public without ready internet access.

2. Publishing a notice in the newspaper pushes an item out to the public. How many members of the public are regularly scouring local government websites for notices.

3. Local governments have a horrendous track record of publishing required notices (e.g. agendas, minutes) on their website. This track record will likely continue with this bill. Although, I bet, many local governments do not publish notices in the paper as required, as well.

4. Many local governments require property owners to publish notices in newspapers and mail notices to other property owners for things like zoning changes. Where is the call to end that practice by local governments. What’s good for the goose, is good for the gander.

Comment by Just Observing Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 11:11 am
Good on Joe Sosnowski! Call this exactly what it is, the “State Government Local Newspaper Subsidy Act.” The Republicans who tepidly support or worse, voted against it, are part of the get-along, go-along slugs who have financially crippled this State. #DemRuination

Comment by Georg Sande Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 11:14 am
This kind of buried the lede.

People in Gilson, IL don’t have access to the internet?

What’s going on there? How can IL be competitive when we have people without access?

That seems like a much more important issue than newspaper revenue.

Comment by Gooner Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 11:15 am
I’d imagine there’s a higher percentage of people that don’t subscribe to a newspaper than people who don’t have internet. Why can’t local governments just post online, and put paper copies in the town hall, and maybe the local library? This requirement is outdated and not a wise use of tax revenues.

Comment by jogger Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 11:17 am
This bill makes a lot of sense as more and more people are simply not subscribing to newspapers anymore as they can get their information from the internet or 24 hour television news channels. The argument that not all people have the internet is shallow as a lot of people, especially younger ones, simply do not subscribe newspapers. LG’s should have the choice of deciding whether tax dollars should be spent on legal notices, their local police and fire departments or even a reduction in their local taxes. Hopeful a modern solution can be found to this outdated process.

Comment by Tough Guy Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 11:19 am
The classified ad rate increase that just went on hold can now be released. lol.

It’s time just has not come. There will be an agreement as soon as most newspapers go strictly digital.

Same leverage…same result.

Comment by A guy Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 11:25 am
So the newspapers, those guardians of the public’s right to know, don’t even print the names of the legislators behind that 5-6 vote.

Comment by gopower Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 11:26 am
=== gopower - Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 11:26 am:

So the newspapers, those guardians of the public’s right to know, don’t even print the names of the legislators behind that 5-6 vote.===

A courtesy to the 5….and the 6. Unbiased as can be.

Comment by A guy Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 11:30 am
Nice idea to save governmental entities some money, BUT, it would not provide the same access levels to all citizens. Many of us living in rural areas do not have affordable internet access. FIRST, the legislators and regulators MUST mandate that internet service providers in Illinois offer the same plans, same access and same pricing to ALL residents in Illinois. Then and only then can posting governmental notices meet the same access levels as to the current newspaper postings.

Comment by Frank Ambrose Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 11:32 am
==- Just Observing - Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 11:11 am:==

Publishing a notice online pushes an item out to the public. How many members of the public are regularly scouring community newspapers for notices.

Comment by Precinct Captain Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 11:41 am
As part of my estate planning services, I offer digital planning as part of the wills I draft and so I ask about that internet use during every will conference. I am flabbergasted by the number of people through my office who do not use the internet for anything. I don’t think rural areas are ready for this bill yet.

Comment by Rayne of Terror Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 11:43 am
Sorry Frank Ambrose, but I’m not buying it. Not all citizens have the same access now. Do all rural residents who cannot afford internet have a subscription to a newspaper? Publishing notices in the classified section is more beneficial to the newspaper’s business operations than it is to the goal of government transparency.

Comment by jogger Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 11:46 am
Jogger - 11:46, You missed the point, All Illinois residents can purchase a paper or not, their option. I and numerous neighbors want internet service but am denied because according to the internet service providers “its not economical” to provide service in many rural areas. This is a situation that is on par to the situation that prompted the Rural Electrification Act so many years ago. So the issue is can the residents access the information, not necessarially if they actually do.

Comment by Frank Ambrose Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 11:52 am
As far as I can remember….I have never looked for a public notice in the newspaper, or anywhere else for that matter.

If folks are doing things within the law, why is the posting necessary? If it involves the community, then I understand its necessity. Other than that, never chose to read through all the fine print.

Comment by Sunshine Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 11:58 am
Another point in support of equal internet access for all. My hour if internet access at my local library is almost up. I will not longer have the ability to be involved in these discussions, how does that keep me on an equal footing, equal access with all the rest of you who can access anytime for as long as you want/need. As a result, I am denied access to the medium our government in increasingly shifting to. Have you ever tried to get a brochure from the State on any topic, you are referred to a specific internet site. Rich Miller - This is a topic which you might want to explore, it affects a great majority outside of the metro areas.

Comment by Frank Ambrose Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 12:19 pm
For those without internet service who REALLY want public notices, the muni could simply mail you a copy. I have a feeling that list would be neither large nor expensive.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 12:20 pm
=== - Precinct Captain - Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 11:41 am: ===

They are not, but they may come across it by chance. Better chance someone is going to run across a public notice in their local newspaper than their local mosquito abatement district’s website.

But… I’ll give the local governments the benefit and say they no longer have to publish notices in the newspaper as long as local newspapers can no longer compel taxpayers to publish newspaper notices for things like zoning changes.

Comment by Just Observing Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 12:24 pm
Roughly four out of 10 rural families still don’t have access to high-speed Internet.

Rural Illinois ranks in the bottom half of the country for broadband Internet access, at 63 percent.

Comment by Griz Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 12:51 pm
I wonder how many people without internet access or electronics to access the internet are newspaper subscribers reading these notices.

Comment by Ghost Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 12:51 pm
==All Illinois residents can purchase a paper or not, their option. I and numerous neighbors want internet service but am denied because according to the internet service providers “its not economical” to provide service in many rural areas.==

== My hour if internet access at my local library is almost up. I will not longer have the ability to be involved in these discussions, how does that keep me on an equal footing, equal access with all the rest of you who can access anytime for as long as you want/need.==

I really appreciate Frank Ambrose’s comments. Sometimes on this topic I sense a real disregard for people who are residents of rural areas and/or lacking in financial resources. I thought all citizens were supposed to be considered first class.

Two other points:

– If you are a person who DOES want to keep up on public notices, it does not seem like progress to have to visit six or seven government websites (and that’s just at the local level for me) to get what you need. Do we really think the Press Association is going to continue Public Notice Illinois if this passes?

– The notion that this plan would save taxpayers money needs to be challenged. Some public bodies would need to set up websites. Others would have to find additional staff resources to ensure legal postings are up to the minute.

In short, this might be good idea over the long term but it is not ready for prime time.

Comment by yinn Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 12:53 pm
==- Just Observing - Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 12:24 pm:==

Since you are making these assertions, you must have some evidence. What percentage of households subscribe to their community newspaper in Illinois?

Comment by Precinct Captain Friday, Mar 13, 15 @ 4:01 pm