Let’s be honest: nobody buys the Mariposa Gazette just to read the legal notices. Hidden in the back of the paper, that tiny text looks boring and unimportant.
But those dry paragraphs protect your property, your tax money and your right to know what local government officials are doing before they vote.
Imagine waking up to find a huge building project approved next to your Midpines home without anyone telling you. Imagine your tax dollars being spent on something new without a public meeting.
Legal notices exist to stop that from happening.
For 172 years, the Mariposa Gazette has been here covering Mariposa County. This is the official, adjudicated newspaper.
By law, if a county agency wants to change land rules or move a property line, it must print it here first.
Lately, some politicians want to move these notices to official government websites to save money. But a digital file on a government computer can be changed or deleted with one click. The government should not control its own report card.
Instead of moving notices away from local papers, California needs to modernize transparency.
That is why I support California Assembly Bill 2323. This bipartisan bill requires legal notices to stay in your local print newspaper while also being posted on the paper’s website for free. It protects the permanent print record while making it easier for everyone to find online.
Real democracy happens right here in Mariposa County — inside the board chambers on Bullion Street.
These decisions affect your wallet and your daily life.
Nicole W. Little is the publisher of the Mariposa Gazette and can be reached at nicole@mariposagazette.com.
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