|
Newspaper readers generally are aware that legal notices placed by
government entities have, for years, been placed in newspapers of
general circulation in the areas that pertain to the notices. The
reason, of course, is that the public has a right — and deserves — to
have easy access to the various legal notices, which range from
governmental budgets to foreclosures to property sales and auctions.
Local government entities are required by law to place paid legal notices in newspapers so that constituents have the opportunity to see what is pending. Local government budget documents, certain hearings and land use actions are among the items that governments must advertise through verifiable legal notices that require affidavits of publication.
Over the years, though, public entities have chipped away at the requirements to place legal notices in newspapers. It wasn’t too many years ago that county governments had to place their monthly expenditures in legal notices. That requirement was replaced by simply making such expenditures available to the public.
The increasing popularity of the Internet, however, has resulted in more efforts on behalf of public entities to post notices online rather than in newspapers. Some states have taken the bait and created new bureaucracies for the posting of government notices online. Some states, like Oregon, are seeing continued efforts to chip away at the laws that require putting notices where citizens can actually see them, rather than have to search for them.
The Oregon Legislature this year is considering HB 2393, which among other things would allow county sheriffs to post the sale of property online rather than in newspapers if such a website has been established by the state court administrator.
Online postings aren’t a bad idea, but only as a supplement to legal notices in newspapers. As popular as the Internet is, Googling or looking up legal notices shouldn’t have to be part of citizens’ daily routine. Giving Oregon’s sheriffs a pass on the requirement to advertise their property sales would likely be a first step to removing more legal notices from newspapers.
Someday, perhaps, should newspapers pass by the wayside, the web might provide the only opportunity for giving citizens a chance to see what their public entities are doing. But that day has not come, and hopefully will not for some time. In Union and Wallowa counties, many people still do not have web access, or only have dial-up access. Allowing any government entity to bypass the best source of notification just doesn’t make sense.
Do newspapers have a financial interest in running legal notices? Absolutely. But the most important issue is about ensuring the best way for citizens to have access to pending governmental actions. Citizens shouldn’t have to search for those on their computers. Legal notices need to continue to be as easy to access as turning the pages of their newspaper — up close and personal.
|
Opinion 
