Dist. 62 candidates differ on whether personnel reports should be open

The Democrat running for the state House District 62 seat in central Lake County supports recent legislation exempting the personnel evaluations of public workers from the state open-documents law.

His Republican opponent, however, voted against the legislation, saying such reports should've remained open to public scrutiny.

Democrat Rich Voltair and incumbent Republican Sandy Cole are competing for the seat, which carries a two-year term.

They were asked about the state's updated Freedom of Information Act rules and other issues in questionnaires for the Daily Herald.

A revamped records law became effective Jan. 1. It gave people greater access to public records and set up an appeals system for people whose requests for records are denied or who experience resistance from government agencies.

Later in the year, however, lawmakers voted to keep secret the performance evaluations of police officers, firefighters, teachers, school administrators and other public workers.

Voltair, a first-time candidate from Round Lake Beach, feels such reports shouldn't be available for public scrutiny.

"These evaluations often contain personal information that is not of a public nature," he wrote. "Public sector employees should have the same rights to privacy as private sector employees."

Rather than examining the personnel files of public workers, people should focus on the records of elected officials, he said.

"The most important evaluations are the ones made on Election Day," Voltair said. "If you're upset with the way government operates, elect new people."

Cole, a Grayslake resident seeking her third term in the state House, said she voted against the legislation that weakened the state FOIA law.

"I support FOIA reform," Cole wrote. "I believe we need to give FOIA reform a chance."

Any "unusual irregularities" that develop can be worked out eventually through legislation, she said.