EDITORIAL COVERT OPERATIONS COUNTY OFFICIALS SHOULD RELEASE SETTLEMENT PROPOSALS.

SECRECY is the lifeblood of Los Angeles County government. Officials can carry out their business knowing that few will ever know what they do, let alone why. They are immune to scrutiny, which is how they like it.

That's why it came as little surprise when County Counsel Ray Fortner proposed that the government no longer make information public about proposed legal settlements. After all, if county officials decline to reveal how much the blunders are costing the taxpayers, no one can ever get too angry about them.

Except that the announcement itself made people angry. Apparently taxpayers like to know when millions of dollars that should be going to vital public services instead go to enterprising attorneys.

To her credit, Supervisor Gloria Molina raised a stink about the new policy. And feeling the heat, Fortner has backed down. He is expected to propose that his office release many key details about settlements, but not information pertaining to legal strategies.

It's not quite perfect transparency, but it's an improvement. What the corrupt and bloated L.A. County government needs is more scrutiny, not less.