Pat Quinn Brings Freedom of Information Requests into 21st Century

by Cal Skinner

I've been filing Freedom of Information requests with state agencies for years.

They always wanted pieces of paper. Sometimes a Fax would do; sometimes they insisted I mail a hard copy.

Now comes information that Governor Pat Quinn is directing all agencies under his jurisdiction to accept FOI requests by email, just like McHenry County College did (!) yesterday.

Imagine, state government recognizing that modes of communication have changed.

The Post Office has certainly figured that out.

Also annoying was the excessive cost charged by agencies like the Illinois Department of Revenue.

A year ago, Governor Rod Blagojevich's Revenue Department folks wanted to charge me 50 cents a page.

How one could justify a cost of more than a dime a page is beyond me.

I understand the Quinn Administration is also in the process of bring down the cost to some more or less reasonable level.

Ready for that, Revenue Department?

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McHenry County College would not release the heavily redacted biography of BMB Communications Management's John Maguire. His company is the one that wants to build the highest (1,500 foot) free standing broadcast tower in the country in Crystal Lake.Pat Quinn Brings Freedom of Information Requests into 21st Century.

Posted first on McHenry County Blog, of course.