VOTE: How Open Is Gilroy's Government?

When it comes to government transparency, where do you see Gilroy fitting in?

With contentious issues abound in Gilroy including job creation, gang violence and the High Speed Rail, city officials have been in a position over the last year in which they have been forced to contend with citizens on a regular basis. 

So how do you feel they have fared when it comes to openness with the public? Have you had a direct experience, positive or negative, with a city official? Vote in the poll below and tell us in the comments!

And if you're not satisfied with the information available, there are a host of free, easy-to-understand and useful resources for you to help you understand what you are entitled to under local and state and federal laws. Here are a few of the best that we’ve selected for you:

• The Reporters Committee has an Open Government Guide for each state’s open records laws. Here is the guide for California.
• The Reporters Committee also offers a federal Open Government Guide and The Digital Journalist’s Legal Guide.
• The Knight Citizen News Network’s The Citizen Journalist’s Guide to Open Government.
• SunshineWeek.org has a host of resources on its site.http://www.sunshineweek.org/ReadingRoom.aspx.
• First Amendment Coalition website has an extensive array of resources on First Amendment issues and its  new free iPhone and Android Know Your Rights app, iOpenGov. 
• CalAware, a group dedicated to government transparency in the state that keeps up to date tabs on transparency cases across the state and has helped develop and promote local open government initiatives in Alameda, Berkeley and Dixon., is an excellent resource.
• The California League of Cities has an excellent Open & Public IV: Guide to the Ralph M. Brown Act, the state’s public meetings law.
• TheFirst Amendment.org has these useful guides on California public records and court documents: Pocket Guide to the California Public Records Act and the Pocket Guide to Courts & Court Records.