Attorneys from the Goldwater Institute presented their case to the Arizona Supreme Court on Monday, advocating for transparency in government dealings. They urged the court to require Phoenix to adhere to Arizona’s Public Records Law by releasing documents related to labor union negotiations.
The city of Phoenix has been accused of conducting union negotiations without public oversight, claiming that withholding records serves the “best interests of the state.” Goldwater Staff Attorney Parker Jackson argued against this reasoning, stating, “Self-interested speculation alone cannot be sufficient to justify withholding public records under the so-called ‘best interests of the state’ exception to public records disclosure.”
The issue traces back to 2022 when unions like the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association declined to follow city code mandating draft contract proposals be available for public comment before negotiations. City officials did not enforce compliance and allowed private negotiations. When Goldwater requested negotiation records, city leaders argued that disclosure would impede the process but failed to demonstrate potential harm.
Goldwater seeks a ruling from the Arizona Supreme Court clarifying that any claim of withholding records must show probable “material” harm. The organization emphasizes that courts should independently review such claims rather than defer automatically to government assertions. Jackson highlighted, “The public records law exists to allow citizens to be informed about what their government is up to.”
This marks Goldwater’s fourteenth appearance before Arizona’s highest court. Further details about the case can be found here. Case documents are accessible here.
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