DEMOCRACY requires open government, with all public records available to the people. We think this should apply to state and county maps, as well as other public-owned documents and agency files.

Therefore, we hope an ongoing two-year legal battle over West Virginia tax parcel maps ends with citizens able to view them on the Internet for free. In fact, we hope the Legislature requires the state Tax Department to post the maps online, available to all.

Here's the dispute:

West Virginia has 20,936 separate maps showing individual lots and tracts. County assessors sell copies of each map for $8 apiece, raising county funds.

Seneca Technologies of Clarksburg, which designs software for oil and gas firms, sought copies of all maps - presumably to help locate drilling leases - but was told that the total tab would be $167,000. Seneca sued, and Kanawha Circuit Judge Irene Berger ordered the state to provide an electronic version of the charts at "reasonable" cost.

State officials gave Seneca a disk of the maps for $20, and Seneca posted them on its Web site (www.senecatechnologies.com), so everyone can view the maps at no charge. But Kanawha Assessor Phyllis Gatson and county attorney Steve Sluss demanded their removal, mostly because free public access to the maps will cause assessors to lose revenue from map sales. The issue is in limbo, pending a state Supreme Court ruling on a related topic.

Gatson and Sluss contend that Seneca is trying to make money from the maps. But giving them away free hardly is profiteering - except, of course, that it may draw more business to the Clarksburg firm.

We think the parcel maps will be helpful to many West Virginians who want to know the location of lots and tracts. This government information should be available as freely as possible.

If the Legislature would decree that the Tax Department must post them on the Internet for everyone, the battle over a private firm's Web site would disappear.

Therefore, we hope an ongoing two-year legal battle over West Virginia tax parcel maps ends with citizens able to view them on the Internet for free. In fact, we hope the Legislature requires the state Tax Department to post the maps online, available to all.

Here's the dispute:

West Virginia has 20,936 separate maps showing individual lots and tracts. County assessors sell copies of each map for $8 apiece, raising county funds.

Seneca Technologies of Clarksburg, which designs software for oil and gas firms, sought copies of all maps - presumably to help locate drilling leases - but was told that the total tab would be $167,000. Seneca sued, and Kanawha Circuit Judge Irene Berger ordered the state to provide an electronic version of the charts at "reasonable" cost.

State officials gave Seneca a disk of the maps for $20, and Seneca posted them on its Web site (www.senecatechnologies.com), so everyone can view the maps at no charge. But Kanawha Assessor Phyllis Gatson and county attorney Steve Sluss demanded their removal, mostly because free public access to the maps will cause assessors to lose revenue from map sales. The issue is in limbo, pending a state Supreme Court ruling on a related topic.

Gatson and Sluss contend that Seneca is trying to make money from the maps. But giving them away free hardly is profiteering - except, of course, that it may draw more business to the Clarksburg firm.

We think the parcel maps will be helpful to many West Virginians who want to know the location of lots and tracts. This government information should be available as freely as possible.

If the Legislature would decree that the Tax Department must post them on the Internet for everyone, the battle over a private firm's Web site would disappear.