Government transparency doesn't mean much if it is costly to obtain government information.
Michigan's Freedom of Information Act was marred by that obstacle. The law's intent — to make information accessible to the public — was undermined by the officials of government and other public organizations who demanded excessive fees to provide it.
Worse, if members of the public and the press successfully challenged those costs in court, they still came up short. If the fees were overturned, the plaintiffs still were stuck with the legal expenses. The agency that lost the court decision wasn't required to pay the court costs. Continue>>>
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