Draft budgets are public records

In a final determination issued June 22, the state Office of Open Records granted access to details of proposed budgets for school districts.

According to the final determination:

Pat Barget, of the South Eastern Tax Reform Coalition, requested a "copy of the itemized budget, with line by line description" from the South Eastern School District on May 4.

On May 12 the district denied the requests, saying it was a draft document that's not a public record.

The district's argument did not convince the open records office. In fact, the office used the district's denial wording against them. The the denial district called it a "proposed expenditure budget," a specific document that is considered public by the state Department of Education.

South Eastern has one of the most active taxpayer groups in York County. They are a constant presence at school board meetings, and actively take part in public meetings by asking questions and requesting information.

A member of that group alerted the York Daily Record in June 2008 to the proposed purchase of a nearly $100,000 grand piano by the district. After our paper reported on the issue the district backed away, as many taxpayers objected to the district buying a Steinway & Sons Model D concert grand piano, which is one of the finest (and most expensive) pianos in the world.