As we near the end of this year’s Sunshine Week, communities across the country are suffering not just because their public officials are doing business in the dark, but because in some regions there are few (or no) news organizations left to keep an eye on those officials in the first place.

Community support of newspapers has never been more important. Your support lends power to our efforts to shine a light on what public officials are doing with public money — particularly when those same officials wish to keep their actions hidden.

Without community support, newspapers are shutting down rather than being able to send a reporter to cover a public meeting, file a Freedom of Information Act request to bring documentation to light and do the digging that adds context to public actions.

Those still doing their jobs for the communities we serve face an uphill battle. As the political climate has made it easier for politicians to pretend reporters are enemies of the people, those elected and other public officials have convinced themselves the public will no longer demand transparency and accountability.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

“For decades, journalists and civic activists have lamented the increasing secrecy of government — the times, they were denied government information, particularly from public records requests,” said David Cuillier, director of the Freedom of Information project. “Reports have shown secrecy getting worse at the federal, state and local government levels.”

Transparency, accountability and accessibility are vital if parents are to understand school systems are working in the best interests of their children, residents are to be confident councils are serving their communities rather than themselves, and those who have the power to spend OUR money do so for OUR sake.

Without local news organizations to shine a light on them, there is very little to stop public entities from running amok.

Use this Sunshine Week as an opportunity to reflect: Without your local news organizations, how would you know what was happening in your schools, cities, counties or even state? On whom could you rely for asking questions or unearthing documentation? Even, where would you turn to confirm or dismiss the rumor you spotted on social media?

We need your help to keep up that kind of vigilance. Without it, the prospects are dark, indeed.