Monday, December 15, 2008

What's Next--Charging Admission to Board Meetings?

Hamburg Township Clerk Matt Skiba seems to be engaging in a little payback to the Livingston Press and Argus. The newspaper endorsed his opponent, fellow Republican and write-in candidate JoAnna Hardesty, the incumbent clerk who lost the GOP primary to Skiba. As a back-up, it suggested Democratic candidate Debby Buckland.

The Press and Argus also has been relentless in its coverage of Skiba -- from his financial troubles, to his attempts to pay a hefty salary to his former campaign manager and now deputy clerk, to revelations about the allegedly crude behavior of the deputy clerk.

So is it just coincidence that Skiba has decided that the news media should file Freedom of Information Act requests and pay 25 cents a page to receive informational packets for board meetings?

Sure looks like payback to me.

Skiba uses the excuse that if the public has to pay, the media should, too. But why can't this material simply be placed on-line so anyone can access it for free?

This is a typical example of how the Freedom of Information Act can be used to impede public access to information, rather than facilitate it, by putting up unnecessary roadblocks.

If Hamburg needs extra revenue, why don't they sell tickets to board meetings? Sounds like it will be the best show in town for quite awhile.

They could even take the show on the road to other townships so all county residents can get in on the fun.

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