Happiness is....

....no press at budget meetings.  It's not that I don't believe in the freedom of the press and the peoples' right to know what is happening in their government.  I do.  But I find that the discussions related to the budget are more open and frank when the press is not present.  We did have an audience, just no press for most of the meeting.  Questions could be asked, answers could be given when people weren't trying to pussy foot around, worried about how it may play in the press.