Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
 

Cali_Democrat

(30,439 posts)
Mon Sep 29, 2014, 03:25 PM Sep 2014

Ferguson Demands High Fees To Turn Over City Files

Source: Huffington Post/AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — Officials in Ferguson, Missouri, are charging nearly 10 times the cost of some of their own employees' salaries before they will agree to turn over files under public records laws about the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown.

The move discourages journalists and civil rights groups from investigating the shooting and its aftermath. And it follows dozens of records requests to Ferguson under the state's Sunshine Law, which can offer an unvarnished look into government activity.

The city has demanded high fees to produce copies of records that, under Missouri law, it could give away free if it determined the material was in the public's interest to see. Instead, in some cases, the city has demanded high fees with little explanation or cost breakdown.

In one case, it billed The Associated Press $135 an hour — for nearly a day's work — merely to retrieve a handful of email accounts since the shooting. That fee compares with an entry-level, hourly salary of $13.90 in the city clerk's office, and it didn't include costs to review the emails or release them. The AP has not paid for the search.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/29/ferguson-city-files_n_5899388.html



They got nothing to hide, right?
25 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Ferguson Demands High Fees To Turn Over City Files (Original Post) Cali_Democrat Sep 2014 OP
They do the same thing to people who live there, when they fine them, ticket them, and then MADem Sep 2014 #1
Not to mention closing the doors early to the public so people with deadlines could not get in mrdmk Sep 2014 #13
Yeah, that revenue stream is in danger. n/t Orsino Oct 2014 #25
It isn't only racism. It is also greed. jwirr Sep 2014 #2
Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #3
Vote the bums out. Ash_F Sep 2014 #4
The groups need to join together to get all avebury Sep 2014 #5
Everyone in the gov declined to comment. What, does someone need to pay to get one of those too? ck4829 Sep 2014 #6
Ferguson is corrupt like something out of CanonRay Sep 2014 #7
Alfred Hitchcock-like n/t ReRe Sep 2014 #14
Does the Freedom of Information Act allow that? It seems that it would defeat the purpose. nt pnwmom Sep 2014 #8
here is some good backstory info questionseverything Sep 2014 #12
Thanks! pnwmom Sep 2014 #21
Media outlets will be suing them very soon. TeamPooka Sep 2014 #9
hard to believe they have not already questionseverything Sep 2014 #11
There's a word for that ... aggiesal Sep 2014 #10
Things are going to be shut down in the Ferguson PD ReRe Sep 2014 #15
Aren't these public records? SoapBox Sep 2014 #16
This Is Happening Everywhere DallasNE Sep 2014 #17
it's like they'll do anything. barbtries Sep 2014 #18
Someone should get the official meeting minutes... Historic NY Sep 2014 #19
Maybe they're also realzing that they won't be able to C Moon Sep 2014 #20
Disgusting.. but that's the par for the history of Ferguson's government from what I'm seeing. Cha Sep 2014 #22
I charge $2500 a day for access to my engineers Calista241 Sep 2014 #23
It's a fucking kleptocracy over there alcibiades_mystery Sep 2014 #24

MADem

(135,425 posts)
1. They do the same thing to people who live there, when they fine them, ticket them, and then
Mon Sep 29, 2014, 03:27 PM
Sep 2014

charge them late fees.

That town runs on usurious charges and graft.

mrdmk

(2,943 posts)
13. Not to mention closing the doors early to the public so people with deadlines could not get in
Mon Sep 29, 2014, 04:08 PM
Sep 2014

to the public institutions! Different day, same shit...

These people are so full of themselves they are beyond arrogant!

Ash_F

(5,861 posts)
4. Vote the bums out.
Mon Sep 29, 2014, 03:33 PM
Sep 2014

Heard they were running voter drives. They need the rest the nations support.

I wonder if we can get some kind of federal intervention.

questionseverything

(9,636 posts)
12. here is some good backstory info
Mon Sep 29, 2014, 04:06 PM
Sep 2014
http://photographyisnotacrime.com/2014/08/25/st-louis-county-ferguson-police-violating-law-prevent-release-vital-public-information/


paraphrasing here but this blogger/activist got 160 individuals to do the same foia over one weekend, the departments story was anon had hacked their servers and deleted the requests....lol


in election integrity groups we run into the same thing all the time....huge sums of cash needed to view documents that should be part of the public domain

it is just a denial of services attack....hoping folks will give up

aggiesal

(8,894 posts)
10. There's a word for that ...
Mon Sep 29, 2014, 03:54 PM
Sep 2014

It's called [Font color=RED]EXTORTION[/font].

And, it's illegal.

I personally think they're trying to make it so difficult to release,
that they'll never have to release it.

ReRe

(10,597 posts)
15. Things are going to be shut down in the Ferguson PD
Mon Sep 29, 2014, 04:48 PM
Sep 2014

It's funny how it takes only seconds to gun down people in the middle of the street but justice takes so effing long to catch up. Looks to me like in this very explosive situation, the Justice Dept would get the ball rolling. Because every day, we hear of more and more incidents against black citizens, most of which are deadly.

The Ferguson PD is doing everything they can to instigate a REAL riot in this country. For example, Chief Jackson going to the street last week to talk to the protesters. Publicly apologizing to Michael Jackson's parents via a recording six effing weeks after the fact. Now we hear of gouging for documents that should have no, or very little, cost attached.

Justice delayed is justice denied, and the shit is going to hit the fan if DOJ doesn't get on the stick!

SoapBox

(18,791 posts)
16. Aren't these public records?
Mon Sep 29, 2014, 04:49 PM
Sep 2014

Paid for by the tax payers?

And who are these public employees to be running this like they own it?

DallasNE

(7,401 posts)
17. This Is Happening Everywhere
Mon Sep 29, 2014, 05:55 PM
Sep 2014

Identical concept as a poll tax. People in authority never want to be held accountable for their actions so they use the power of the purse to deny justice and feed corruption.

barbtries

(28,733 posts)
18. it's like they'll do anything.
Mon Sep 29, 2014, 06:20 PM
Sep 2014

where's the justice department? these people cannot be trusted and they have proven it beyond a doubt.

Historic NY

(37,449 posts)
19. Someone should get the official meeting minutes...
Mon Sep 29, 2014, 06:21 PM
Sep 2014

where schedule of fees are vote on and approved. They may be lawsuit territory.

1) Fees for copying public records, except those records restricted under section 32.091, shall not exceed ten cents per page for a paper copy not larger than nine by fourteen inches, with the hourly fee for duplicating time not to exceed the average hourly rate of pay for clerical staff of the public governmental body. Research time required for fulfilling records requests may be charged at the actual cost of research time. Based on the scope of the request, the public governmental body shall produce the copies using employees of the body that result in the lowest amount of charges for search, research, and duplication time. Prior to producing copies of the requested records, the person requesting the records may request the public governmental body to provide an estimate of the cost to the person requesting the records. Documents may be furnished without charge or at a reduced charge when the public governmental body determines that waiver or reduction of the fee is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the public governmental body and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester;

http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/C600-699/6100000026.HTM

C Moon

(12,204 posts)
20. Maybe they're also realzing that they won't be able to
Mon Sep 29, 2014, 06:30 PM
Sep 2014

ticket and arrest people for their skin color now. They know there will have to be other sources of income to feed their fat bellies.
Man. That city is messed up.
Reminds me of the city of Bell debacle in Southern California.

Cha

(296,370 posts)
22. Disgusting.. but that's the par for the history of Ferguson's government from what I'm seeing.
Tue Sep 30, 2014, 03:54 AM
Sep 2014

Thank you, Cali~

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Ferguson Demands High Fee...