Why Aren't County/City Public Records Available On The Internet?
Is it reasonable for the city and county to charge citizens twenty five cents a copy for public documents considering that they cost less than five cents a copy to make? A copy of the recent county budget cost over twenty dollars for a taxpaying citizen to obtain. Why aren't more public documents made available to the public via the internet as most counties do?
The city administrator stated that he has charged $.25 a copy for documents for over eighteen years, yet never placed a sign in the office announcing that, could not produce any authorization for doing such(until recently), has not kept a record of money taken in or how it was used.
Why are citizens paying for public information they have already paid for through taxes?
The city administrator stated that he has charged $.25 a copy for documents for over eighteen years, yet never placed a sign in the office announcing that, could not produce any authorization for doing such(until recently), has not kept a record of money taken in or how it was used.
Why are citizens paying for public information they have already paid for through taxes?
posted by Allen Barrett | 2:13 PM
46 Comments:
There is a reason. Usually you can get copies for around ten cents. The difference is happy people wanting to serve the public cause if they don't, they'll be out of business. Unhappy customers do not come back! One might say the cost differential is proportion to the pain and suffering necessay to make copies and expose themselves. Sedatives, nerve pills, and visits to analysts cost a lot of money!
It gets more complicated when you realize you can't make a blanket statement like that, because there is really only one horror case in the county. Cause it's necessary to protect that one, every other department has to look like idiots to make the real idiots look normal.
Unfortunately the educators can't get it right & it would look real peculiar if folks knew those with fancy degrees had to ask those without to tell them how to do things right.
After we reach that point, one has to realize the simple answer. The school system doesn't want you to know why they spend around three times more than the inflation rate. The fox is in the hen house & he don't want no snoops in there helping himself. It costs a lot of money to weazel the books and make incompetence look like resounding success. It's a lot like a riot - costs lots of money to try to clean the mess up.
Why not on Internet? Just about any dumb butt answer will do as good as what you're getting. It is as simple as putting a pdf file on the web site! The TN Audit is on it - don't even have to retype it - don't even have to copy or print. Not state of the art - been there for years! But our nannytechnologists just haven't been to the big city in 50 years & they don't know what's happened since they had to move the outhouse cause the interstate was a commin through!
That was probably one of the least informative, yak yak, what are you trying to say comments that I have ever read.
One of the reasons people are charged is because if they are not, the requests can potentially go out the roof.
As for the documents being available on the internet, it seems unreasonable the think that all documents should be downloaded and posted. I suppose it is possible.
8:12 why are blaming educators? The budgets were given to people before Financial Management without paying, ask WAB. You probably voted for Finanacial Management, blame them.
7:28 pm
You are wrong. Vanzant's office started charging 25c a page sometime back. But it was inconsistent. Sometimes did and sometimes not. The citizens was charged $20 because they didnt want the public to see a copy of the budget. It was right around the time of the public hearing on the new budget.
County budget should be on the web. Do we need to get a petition going to get it done? Anyone know about petitions getting results around here?
This is a great topic for the public and I'm glad its all coming to light.
I'm sorry I did not make myself clear. School budgets were given out for free.
I guess now we need to hire someone else to make a website for the county to post budgets and etc. How much would that cost. Another addition to salaries? Who would pay for that? I'm saying that something on the web is bad but consider that someone has to do it and someone has to know how. Not everyone is computer savy enough to do a website and keep it up. What does that kind of thing cost? I have no idea.
I'm sorry I did not make myself clear. School budgets were given out for free.
I guess now we need to hire someone else to make a website for the county to post budgets and etc. How much would that cost. Another addition to salaries? Who would pay for that? I'm saying that something on the web is bad but consider that someone has to do it and someone has to know how. Not everyone is computer savy enough to do a website and keep it up. What does that kind of thing cost? I have no idea.
906 Success is dumbing something down to your level. You finally got the message, but didn't like it.
To you, informing the public is a threat to dumbing the public down to a level of believing and accepting anything. Waste & incompetence are defined by spending 3 times the inflation rate. You could hand deliver the true message to every taxpayer in the county for a lot less money than is wasted today!
Comfort is knowing you're uncomfortable & looking for a place to hide ... openly trying to hide the results of what we pay you to do.
It is incredibly easy to convert computer files to internet accessible reports and information. If all else fails, pdf files are as simple as copying and saving report pages to pdf files that are easily accessed via internet. If the files are accessible as data files, people could access them, analyse them, sort & prioritise possible areas of opportunity, etc. That knowledge is a cataclysmic threat to you call.
Supposedly, we have technology and computer related instructors, courses, and capabilitites. Web sites on the internet are as plentiful as rain drops in a hurricane, but we are supposed to believe no one in the Giles County education system has a clue. If true, maybe we ought to lower the structural education requirements of management and instruction to include someone who might know how to do it!
The answer to why information is suppressed, manipulated, and hidden is simply corruption. Get rid of the heel draggers.
Have you looked at the local law (City) enforcement page lately?
Last time i looked it still had John Thomas on it & hadn't been updated.
So it must not be too important to keep up with the changing times.
Actually i think John Thomas did that page himself & since he is no longer there it doesn't get updated.
And no it's not that hard for someone to take care of a web page . Didn't Wroda claim to be a webmaster? As far as the city goes they have someone who does their web page already so why not go one step further & take care of the courthouse docs along with the tourism page??
Also i think it has been covered before but did you know you cannot access this blog at the library computers? Rackley maintains the computers there why not have them do the couthouse docs? Or would they do some more selective censoring like that?
Just a few suggestions.
Also there are web links to any public records thru search engines (some at cost) but some are free like the sexual predators link thru the state so you can see who is living next door to you.
but just type in a name in Google & you can get peoples' address at all kind of web sites.
On TN.GOV they have lots of links to county level but the county also has to have the info available online too.
Just seems simple to me with all the people who understand the web & computers today to have such info available with little cost.
1102 good & worthwhile comments!
I'm sure that Rackley would just do a website for the county for free. NOT! The library computers are protected just like most public computers. Blogs are one of those things that are blocked from most public computers because of child predators and etc. You don't pick which blog you just block blogs for safety reasons. Not that any computer savey person can't backdoor a website.
Never suggested it would be for free. I was stating since they were already involved they would be a choice. And thanks for clearing up the blog thing never thought of that part.
But of course someone always has to come back with some kind of smart remark in reponse on here so it was to be expected i guess.
Thanks 11:37 some postive does get thru too!!
Mrs. Vanzant said the Fincinal Budget Office would be no additional cost to the County & the tax payers!!! Maybe She can supply one of the (13) people that are now there trying to do what two people did before, and to also copy all the minutes of all of the meeting and post them to a pdf file that could be viewed on the County Web Page, including her own office audits since she took office IN 2002. THAT WOULD EXPLAIN A LOT OF THINGS.
Could it be that she lied again?
Seems to me that the best thing that could happen to Giles County is to GET RID OF THIS WOMAN!
Still don't know what the skoo is gonna do? If you think Jackson ain't winkin, you ain't thinkin.
Just happened to turn the TV on & my mind stripped its gears! a preacher was reading something I've been trying to find answers to for years!
Daniel 11-32 ...
"And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people who do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits."
Now if that don't get tattooed on the big boy's forehead, nothing will. Exploits sends somethin up and down my spine like a big chill!
Finnally figured out why there are so many munchiies and sweet things said while eating. Twill be the public who takes the beating. And, so it be, beneath the honey tree.
Sounds like Snow White & the Seven Bears, or is it Goldilocks & Three Dwarfs. Guess it doesn't matter cause GASB says it's OK if the poridge is gone & the DA won't prostitute perverts with big white teeth who like little golden haired companions.
Gotta do some exploitin!
What the?...
gotcha
For the person who wants all this information on the internet and they want it free. Get up off your lazy __ and go get the information yourself. If all you got to do is set in front of your computer you got time to go get the information. If you want it for free I got some beach front property I will sell you in Minor Hill!!!!!!! Sounds like all you got is something to fuss about. Go get a job.
6:54
Thats an offensive response and you miss the point entirely. First, a reasonable amount for a citizen to have to pay for hard copy would be 5c a sheet. After all, we have already paid for the supplies and labor(??) involved. Even that is overpaying as it does not cost the county 5c to reproduce each page. Then, the second point is that the county should get modernised and present the budget online. Whats wrong with that?
To 6:54 you ain't as smart as you think since you got stuck with the beach front property to begin with.
Is the fog you live in drug induced or just natural stupid all over you.
Goodness::: Last two posts not only prove we have people with brains, they write it so it makes sense!
We do pay for the supplies, the equipment, & the salaries of those copying stuff that should be in booklet form and available to anyone who wants it! We also pay the salaries of the idiots who want us to pay for it again, at maybe five time what it cost to do it initially!
The second ties it together beautifully. Who, other than some stoned crook would tell the victim that they have to pay five dollars for every dollar they steal - just to get it back!
Harsh? Maybe they didn't ozone away to another planet on LSD. Maybe mama got the mushrooms mixed up & the whole family's been whoopin it up on toad stools since whenever.
Budget should be online in .pdf format. However, what I pay for a home or a piece of land is my business, and people ought to have to work a little harder to get that information. It makes my skin crawl to think that some people in this community have nothing better to do than sit at thier computer and be nosey.
People who sit at home and use their computers are being smart in using technology available to them and by doing their own research.
I am sure that none of them are being nosey.
Maybe curious to do comparisons, but thats not nosey. The info is available in the assessors office now as its public information. Trouble is, whenever you make an enquiry all Giles Co knows about it. Discretion is not a high priority around here.
IN THE DARK! GASB says their objective is keeping the public informed! Consider yourself informed - "You're in the dark" "If you want to see something, buy a flashlight!"
If you want an education & learn something, The GCBOE has the answer - go back the the beginning & after you turn on the flashlight and see nothing a few times (education), maybe you'll realize they don't intend to tell you anything and you're wasting your time (learn)!
Why don't some of you who want the budget on line pool your money, get a copy and post the entire thing on here.
907 Because it's 2008, not 1908. WE pay people to manage & do things. Our technology vision with the edgycatorers is an abasscuss & a couple of idiots with a rock & chisel who can't spell! @x$3@
To 9:07 would you buy a car for $20,000.00 then have to go back to the dealer and pay each time you wanted to drive it?
Taxpayers have paid for this service, other places are able to provide it and it should not be acceptable that taxpayers have to do without it any longer.
Maybe everyone should call their commissioners and ask why they have to pay that kind of money for copies. I do know that I have paid that kind of money at libraries and courthouses for copies of documents though.
About that get a job comment...Where exactly would you suggest anyone here in Giles Co. get a job at?? I'm really trying to think of someplace but i'll be! every factory left town & who can afford to drive any where??
Unless you mean work for peanuts & no benefits.
A benefit is exactly that, a benefit. They are not required by law, nor are they something everyone deserves. Quality work brings quality pay and quality benefits.
so bring us some quality work to Giles Co.
GASB objectives include complete, accurate, & timely information to the public. Sounds like a dying GASP.
No matter how great the intentions when those implementing those policies are determined to sabotage them the intentions will never be met without firm demands from the public.
They should just do what other states do.
The fee for a copy of a government document can cost no more than the local fair market value of copies such as if business' who do the cop/print thing are charging .25 per black and white page and $1 for color then that's fair market value.
How do you get the credit report that some people get?
It tells who borrowed money and how much.
Who got married.
Who's getting a divorce.
8:31 Get a life.
Sounds like things are a changing - if Norman got the boot, it's toot toot for tj & things might fix themselves
Beverly has gotten everything lined up so that she can get a job in the school system. Wait and see what I'm telling you. I'll be she has a job on the hill in less than a year.
In my opinion, she is a big trouble maker, and is as corrupt as they come.
So if Murray gets a job in the school system I guess that takes her off the school board? Then we would have gotten nowhere.
Not necessarily ain't WAB in her district maybe he would take her place, I heard some commissioners talking very favorably about this as a possibility.
francis..
Seriously, the idea of wab's getting in has been suggested a month ago. What I find so hilarious is that some commissioners were talking favorably about it. What a laugh that is!
Since Beverly has worked for the GCBOE before and retired with a disability, I doubt seriously that she wants to be a slave again. Might have her eye on something bigger.
What was the disability. Anyone know?
No news is good news is why it aint on internet. No snoops is good snoops. It's all because when the lights is out it's a good sign that all is peaceful & resting.
Let him who wants to cast the first beam of light do it & they all walked away in darkness.
Monday, September 08, 2008 8:31:00 AM
That was made for those that want to know everything.
To 9-15 at 10:07 Fibromyalgia. Tee couldn't put her in because he couldn't figure out who she would recommend to the commission to take her place. Mr. Barrett wasn't even considered for one and he promised he wouldn't apply for position no. 2. He has more important things to do. Murrey is doing fine with board and has plans to make a difference in the system beginning with the board and how it can become unified except for Norman. If the majority will work together we'll see what can be accomplished for this system. Mr. Barrett would be great in a polical position, but he is needed greatly in keeping the people informed. To bad people want to call him and Murrey trouble makers. they have the interest of Giles County in their heart. To bad so many jealous people can't give credit where credot is due. Try getting some guts and fight for Giles County, your state and your country.
Post a Comment
<< Home