Editorial: How about really open state government

The reopening of Minnesota government was all for the good ... at first blush. In fact, how the deal got done should make state lawmakers turn red. They made major decisions behind closed doors.

Not only where the doors closed, the physical Capitol was closed.

Sure Gov. Mark Dayton eventually opened the building "to allow public access and transparency," but his words came four days after he and Republican leaders locked themselves in — and everyone else out. They took a long-standing, bad practice of hammering together end-of-session deals in secret to a new and disappointing level.

State law requires legislative meetings to be open. Lawmakers require every other government body to follow the Open Meeting Law, but blatantly disregard it themselves for poor reasons such as convenience, politics and expediency. Those never should trump the public’s right and need to know.

Minnesota's government offices may be open for business. We wish elected state officials would commit to being open as well.

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