[oldtech]

Does this mean they were going to charge $1500 to run it off on a flashdrive? If so,I can see where this might be impeding freedom of information.

[Alex Murphy]

When Mike LaFaive visited the Michigan Liquor Control Commission's Lansing office in the course of research he was doing, he asked an employee for copies of a spreadsheet and some other public records. The staffer responded that the information could be provided that day if he had a flash drive.

Circumstances did not permit this, so LaFaive, the fiscal policy director of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, later submitted a Freedom of Information (FOIA) request asking for the records. The state agency then told him that if he wanted the information, he would have to pay $1,500 to cover the cost of making paper copies at 25 cents per page. LaFaive advised the Commission he did not want paper copies. Nevertheless, the MLCC still refused to provide the electronic records without charging the disputed costs for paper copies.

Our government at work.

[muir_redwoods]

I wonder if I can charge the State Tax Department and the IRS for submitting my return electronically. BTW, I charge $1000/ page.