[nfbmi-talk] Fw: FOIA Cost Guidelines

[joe harcz Comcast]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: joe harcz Comcast 
To: Farmer, Mel (LARA) 
Sent: Friday, October 11, 2013 9:41 AM
Subject: Re: FOIA Cost Guidelines


As a matter of fact they do not to me and haven't in the past.

Moreover, your fees are arbitrary and capricious and quite extreme and most often open ended.

Regardless, both under the ADA and 504 the "undue hardship" provisions are well defined and LARA has violated them consistently and especially of late in my regards.


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Farmer, Mel (LARA) 
  To: joe harcz Comcast 
  Sent: Friday, October 11, 2013 8:24 AM
  Subject: RE: FOIA Cost Guidelines


  The U.S. Departments of Justice, Education, Labor, et al budgets are larger than $500,000,000 and they charge fees for processing FOIA requests.

   

  From: joe harcz Comcast [mailto:joeharcz at comcast.net] 
  Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2013 6:32 PM
  To: Farmer, Mel (LARA)
  Subject: Re: FOIA Cost Guidelines

   

  From 504 regulations and LARA is the recipient with a budget in excess of $500,000,000.

   

                    (c) In determining pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section 

  whether an accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of a 

  recipient's program or activity, factors to be considered include:

                    (1) The overall size of the recipient's program or activity 

  with respect to number of employees, number and type of facilities, and size of 

  budget;

                    (2) The type of the recipient's operation, including the 

  composition and structure of the recipient's workforce; and

                    (3) The nature and cost of the accommodation needed.

    ----- Original Message ----- 

    From: Farmer, Mel (LARA) 

    To: joe harcz Comcast 

    Cc: Haynes, Carla (LARA) ; Duell, Elsie (LARA) 

    Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2013 4:34 PM

    Subject: RE: FOIA Cost Guidelines

     

    LARA has not changed its policies/procedures/guidelines in responding to FOIA requests involving federal statutes/regulations.

     

    From: joe harcz Comcast [mailto:joeharcz at comcast.net] 
    Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2013 4:11 PM
    To: Farmer, Mel (LARA)
    Subject: Re: FOIA Cost Guidelines

     

    Precisely when did you or LARA change the ADA and 504 references and proclaim undue hardship provisions?

      ----- Original Message ----- 

      From: Farmer, Mel (LARA) 

      To: joe harcz Comcast (joeharcz at comcast.net) 

      Cc: Haynes, Carla (LARA) ; Duell, Elsie (LARA) ; McKinney, Vera (LARA) 

      Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2013 2:28 PM

      Subject: FW: FOIA Cost Guidelines

       

      Mr. Harcz, in response to your inquiry regarding LARA's published FOIA fee charge policies/procedures/guidelines, in accordance with MCL 15.234, Section 4(3) of the state's FOIA, attached is a copy of the LARA FOIA FY14 PROCESSING COST GUIDELINES.