OpenPublica

List government documents

list_government_documents

Read-only

List a government's adopted plan and budget documents.

Each entry carries `covers` — every general-plan element that document
answers for. A city that publishes one bound general plan satisfies all
eight with the same PDF, so do not conclude an element is unpublished
because no entry is named after it.

`status` says what the entry offers: `converted` is searchable and readable;
`superseded` is a retired edition, still stored but not searchable; and
**`failed` means we hold this document and could not read it — it is not
evidence the city published nothing.** Cite `source_url` in that case; it is
always the city's own copy.

An `availability` block appears ONLY when something is wrong with a
document, and `availability.reason` says what. No `availability` key means
there is nothing to report.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`government_id`	Yes	account_id from find_local_governments.
`include_superseded`	No	Also include prior editions retired by a newer document.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedSep 1, 2026

TDQS

A3.9/5.0

Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With annotations already covering read-only and non-destructive, the description goes well beyond them by decoding the `status` values (`converted` searchable, `superseded` stored but unsearchable, `failed` held but unreadable) and the conditional `availability` block. The `failed`-is-not-absence warning and `source_url` fallback are exactly the non-obvious traits an agent needs to avoid misreporting.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Purpose is front-loaded, then interpretation rules follow in short paragraphs that each earn their place (covers, status, availability). It is slightly longer than strictly necessary but avoids filler.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With no output schema, the description correctly assumes the burden of explaining the returned fields and does so thoroughly for the fields that matter most. Ordering and pagination are left unstated, a minor gap for a list endpoint.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so both parameters are already documented, and the description adds only indirect context through its explanation of the `superseded` status. Baseline 3 is appropriate when the schema carries the parameter definitions.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource with a narrow scope: listing a government's adopted plan and budget documents. An agent can tell this apart from generic document search, though it never names the sibling it differs from (e.g. search_documents).

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Usage guidance is about interpreting output rather than choosing between tools: it warns not to treat missing element names as unpublished and explains that `failed` is not evidence of nothing published. There is no explicit when-to-use or when-not-to-use versus sibling tools like search_documents or get_document.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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