Town should make public information available

I read in (a local newspaper) that Mayor Michael Kafton and the Jackson administration have violated the Right to Know Law over cell phone billing records. I was shocked to read that the administration was refusing to respond to a citizen’s request for copies of municipal cell phone bills.

According to the article, municipal cell phone bills have gone from "a total of $3,500 in 2001, [to] about $25,000 in 2002," to a projection of "about $60,000 this year." A citizen, Bob Slattery, requested documentation of the cell phone bills to examine where these outrageous sums are being spent and by whom. I agree with Mr. Slattery – when it comes to how my tax dollars are being spent, I do have a right to know.

• Just how many cell phones are there in Town Hall?

• What employees have access to a cell phone?

• Where are they calling? Locally? Out of the county? Out of state?

• Are the cell phones being illegally used by officials of Jackson for personal and private business?

The refusal by Kafton’s administration (to release the cell phone bills) goes directly against the Right to Know Law. Jackson’s own Web site summarizes the provisions of this law in a "Citizens Guide to the Open Public Records Act (OPRA)."

It looks like Mayor Kafton doesn’t care that he’s violating the law. In the same article, Kafton stated that "the township has nothing to hide," but actions speak louder than words. If he won’t hand out telephone records of himself and other township employees, then one can only assume he is hiding something.

Dan Savage

Jackson