Theft accusation quite astonishing

The theft case against the former program director at a Waianae homeless shelter raises serious questions about the oversight of state funding intended to help Oahu’s most impoverished residents.

The defendant is charged with stealing more than $700,000 from Waianae Community Outreach and the state over the course of three years.

If these charges are proved in court, the fact that someone could steal such an astonishing amount over such a long period demands deeper investigation.

White House needs sunshine

This week the news media and open-government interest groups have been marking the 10th anniversary of Sunshine Week, which spotlights the right to access public information.

So it’s discouraging to learn from an Associated Press analysis that the Obama administration set a new record for withholding information sought under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.

It did so using tactics familiar to anyone trying to extract documents from a reluctant government — excessive censorship, calculated delays, hopelessly high fees, or outright refusal — often in violation of the letter of the law as well as its spirit.

Democracy’s health depends on an informed citizenry. Advances in technology have made it easier than ever to provide broad access to information at little or no cost. All levels of government, from city halls to the White House, should make it a priority to open their books to those who rightfully own them — the public at large.