Why shouldn't the public have access to school budget work sessions? That's the question we have for the Finance Review Committee that was commissioned by the Rapid City School District to make budget recommendations to school board members. The committee, comprised of local business and financial leaders, denied a Journal reporter access at a recent work session. The committee chair, Dennis Popp, said the committee wasn't elected and doesn't represent anybody.

In the spirit of open government, we disagree with that decision.

The committee represents the school district, the publicly-elected school board members, the parents and students in the district and every taxpayer in the Rapid City School District. The committee was commissioned by the Rapid City School District - making it an "arm" of the district - to study and make recommendations to the $80 million budget.

The Journal Editorial Board applauded the commitment of the financial review group when it was formed in late June. We knew the school district budget was an issue and needed an intervention. We reasoned this group of local leaders would be just what it needed.

We are now wondering if the taxpayers, students and parents of the district aren't getting the same uneasy feeling we are about seeing the school district budget managed behind closed doors.

The school district is currently studying cuts to the district budget to the tune of up to $4 million. As we see programs curtailed and class sizes grow, we think the budget process - especially at this point in time - should be open to public inspection.

The school board members haven't taken a stand on public access to the finance committee meetings and Superintendent Dr. Peter Wharton said he didn't have a say if the meeting was open to the public or not. If either the school board or district superintendent were sincerely interested in these meetings being open to the public, the meetings would be open.

In June, the Journal editorial board wrote "(then) school board member Eric Abrahamson said one goal in the formation of the (financial review) committee is to encourage more public participation. We'd like to see that and we're sure the public would, too."

That sentiment remains.