As an employer, what would you do if one of your hired workers, someone you pay out of your own pocket, decided to hide information from you that affected your livelihood, perhaps even your safety, your kids’ schools and your community? In private business, employees who withhold key info from the boss and conduct matters in secrecy likely won’t remain on the payroll after their subterfuge is discovered. So why do we allow such behavior in our publicly funded employees — elected and appointed officials in local government, education, law enforcement and other public agencies?