Weighing in

The city of Coeur d’Alene’s refusal to reveal employees’ first names when it responded to a public information request was a hot topic of debate last week. The story, first published in the Coeur d’Alene Press and published in Saturday’s Spokesman-Review, said the city’s human resources director withheld the first names in responding to a request for employee names and salaries, arguing that state law forbids the city from disclosing the gender of its employees.

To see the full exchange, check out the Friday posting “What is City of CdA hiding?” on Huckleberries Online at www.spokesman.com.

Zelda Krup: Maybe they don’t want people to see that women earn less for the same work, level of education and experience.

Spokelooneh: Unless the city wants to take the issue to court, which would be stupid and a sure loser, they need to release the full names, period.

MikeK: The city isn’t hiding anything. This is a policy that has been around for a while … and frankly hasn’t been reviewed it seems in a while. Speaking only for myself I think the names should be released. … I also completely support the HR director’s concern for following the laws meticulously, and releasing gender is a no-no. So two laws are in conflict here, which always makes for confusion and gray areas.

Eagleeye: We are in the middle of the worst economic crisis in our lifetimes and we are debating whether or not to include first names on a salary list. Seems to me someone could put a first name to something themselves if they were that interested in it. For crying out loud!

Phaedrus: And the first name is going to “enhance” all the other information already provided, how?

Sue: The city ought to release the names and wages. … It goes with the territory of working for a public entity.

Don Sausser: I don’t need names; positions and compensations satisfy my interest in how our funds are used.

Ejs: These people have by great proportion the best deals in the city and county. And guess what, we pay for it, you and me, and as a taxpayer I want to know and have a right to know. …

Sam: So if public employees – paid for with taxpayer money – are apparently not supposed to be identified, why do they end up on the local public access TV channel for City Council meetings with their names plastered on the screen? If they’re so secret, why does the city have department directories online with their names? No, it appears that this decision is in direct correlation to other information also sought. … (I)t’s usually because people don’t want their names tied to their salary information.