Projo Politics Blog

Tucked within Governor Carcieri’s 254-page budget bill is a six-line plan to cut funds for the printed version of the book that symbolizes open government in Rhode Island.

The secretary of state’s office publishes the Rhode Island Government Owner’s Manual every two years, detailing personal and contact information for all the state’s elected officials, state departments, judges and even lobbyists. The book also includes the text of the U.S. Constitution, the Rhode Island Constitution and Rhode Island’s 1663 Royal Charter granted by King Charles II.

“It is my privilege and desire to open the doors of government to all Rhode Islanders and to provide greater access to the citizens we represent,” Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis writes in the foreword to the latest edition. “The Government Owner’s Manual is your tool to this access.”

Carcieri’s budget article would eliminate the printed version of the book in favor of an online-only version.

“The vast majority of people who use these manuals are government officials and employees who already have access to the exact same information through their computers. Most Rhode Islanders never possess or use these books,” said the governor’s spokesman, Jeff Neal. “As a result, in the face of the largest budget crisis since the credit-union debacle of the early 1990s, it seemed an appropriate area in which to save taxpayer dollars.”

Mollis doesn’t agree.

“The book makes it easier for everyday Rhode Islanders to talk with their local, state and federal officials,” said Mollis spokesman Chris Barnett, noting that demand was strong. Just 250 copies remain from the latest edition.

“While Secretary of State Mollis is a proponent of the Internet and responsible government spending, he believes eliminating production of the Owner’s Manual will make government appear less open and accessible,” Barnett said.

Mollis’ office printed 6,000 copies of the 2007-08 edition of the book, which cost taxpayers $30,200, or about $5 a copy, according to Barnett.

The budget is currently before the House Finance Committee.

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