Don’t close door with taxpayer money in room

Imagine baseball without a rule book. It would probably resemble Tuesday’s AllStar Game, where drama was replaced by gimmicks such as letting players deliver commentary while patrolling the outfield. Or basketball, though most NBA stars travel with the ball more than any pickup player in the playground despite the rules.

Or perhaps soccer. Goalies never break that sixsecond mandate, right?

Rules are made to be challenged, but the absence of them leads to chaos. Take away rules and there is no trust.

They are even more important in that sport known as politics.

So Connecticut House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, RDerby, asked the right question about her role on the board that would guide school funding fueled by hedge fund giant Ray Dalio’s $100 million contribution:

“What rules do I follow?”

As a champion of publicprivate partnerships, it’s not surprising that Gov. Ned Lamont is hesitant to pull at strings attached to such a generous gift.

But since taxpayers will have to pitch in $100

million to the endeavor as well over the next five years, we’d like to see some strings cut sooner rather than later.

Klarides’ approach has support from the other side of the field. Senate President Pro Tem Martin M. Looney, DNew Haven, said “I would hope we would have as much transparency as possible ... It’s always an issue and a concern when you’re trying to build public confidence.”

Hope is elusive, however, in the absence of said rule book.

Drafting Lamont, Klarides, Looney, and the other top two lawmakers from the respective parties — House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz and Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano — does ensure engagement from the brass.

The Dalio Foundation’s other two declared appointments are also noteworthy: Erik Clemons, the CEO and president of the Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology, and Bridgeport teacher Sheena Graham, who is the state’s 2019 teacher of the year.

But the Dalio rule book also dismisses guidelines that are vital to democracy, such as reportedly asking for a Freedom of Information exemption. So while five elected officials participate in discussions of $100 million of taxpayer contributions, they don’t have to tell the rest of us what’s happening behind doors that will be closed.

This is one of the reasons “quasi” — as in quasi agency — remains one of our least favorite words.

It’s akin to a local Board of Education holding all discussions in closed session. When this socalled Partnership for Connecticut opens for business, it shouldn’t shut the door behind the 13 members.

The foundation released a statement that holding a closed first board meeting is consistent with the actions of nonprofits.

But the statement also offered hope that doors may open in time, adding that “the board will ... determine the rules for future meetings” and engage the public.

So there’s still a chance to write the rules, and to let everyone in the state know what they are.

It’s akin to a local Board of Education holding all discussions in closed session.