{
  "id": "1993-aprilmay-suspicious-figures",
  "slug": "1993-aprilmay-suspicious-figures",
  "url": "https://dwillis.github.io/uplink/article/1993-aprilmay-suspicious-figures.html",
  "year": 1993,
  "month": "April/May",
  "monthNum": 4,
  "headline": "Suspicious figures",
  "kicker": "",
  "author_name": "David Armstrong",
  "author_title": "",
  "affiliation": "Boston Herald",
  "summary": "David Armstrong discusses the challenges and resistance faced when requesting public records in electronic form, highlighting instances where government cost estimates were inflated.",
  "keywords": [
    "records",
    "government",
    "cost"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Investigative Methods",
    "Data & Databases",
    "Government & Politics"
  ],
  "technologies": [
    "magnetic tape"
  ],
  "full_text": "Two recent requests for public records in electronic form by the Boston Herald highlight many of the pitfalls and irritating techniques used by bureaucrats to keep information from reporters and their computers. In the first case, which began with a request more than two years ago, the Herald sought a copy of the Massachusetts motor vehicle registration database. We planned to use the database more as a people finder and research tool for reporters than for a particular project. However, the database's potential for projects was obvious. The response to the request for the registration file was unfortunately predictable. The information we requested was available, but would cost $168,000. However, the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles said it would offer the Herald a reduced fee of $3,134 because the Herald was a media outlet and was not using the information for commercial purposes. While $3,134 was better than $168,000, it was still unacceptable. The state said it had recently granted the rival Boston Globe the same reduced fee and the Globe purchased the database. We wanted to see the rationale for the Globe fee and formally requested a copy of any documents reflecting price estimates for the Globe. This was important because, under Massachusetts law, a state agency can only charge the 'actual cost' of producing the information requested by a public record seeker. Sure enough, the Registry of Motor Vehicles bilked the Globe. The agency charged the newspaper $600 a minute for CPU time. Yes, $600 a minute. In early 1991, the Herald questioned the CPU cost charged to the Globe, which was the basis for the fee the Registry offered to charge the Herald. We informed the Registry that if the CPU time was calculated for a full year, based on 50 percent usage, the total cost would be $155 million. The registry's computer, purchased in 1989, cost only $2.7 million. The Registry, however, refused to cave in and said the Herald was getting a great deal at $3,134. The Herald disagreed and appealed to the state's public records office to rule on the dispute. Finally, on Dec. 29, 1992, the public records office determined the Registry price was inflated and ordered the agency to provide the database to the Herald at a price reflecting the actual cost. On Jan. 11, 1993, the Registry wrote to the Herald and informed the newspaper it was revising the price for the driver registration database. The final price? $77. We bought it. In a second case, the Herald sought a computer tape copy of the Boston area mass transit authority's payroll. Initially, the transit authority simply ignored our request. After some prodding, from the Herald and the state's public records office, the authority gave us an estimate of $570 to provide the requested information. The estimate was bogus. The authority said two employees - a programmer and payroll manager - would have to work six hours to fulfill the request. This wasn't a problem since we realized some programming was necessary. There was a problem, however, with the hourly rate the authority intended to charge the Herald for the work of these two employees. When the hourly rate was calculated for a full year's salary, these two mid-level employees appeared to earn in excess of $90,000. I called the public records office and said if this was the actual salary of these two employees, the Herald would purchase the tape immediately. Imagine what the high-level officials were earning. However, if this wasn't their actual salary, I informed the record's officials the newspaper wanted a new estimate. Only days later a new estimate arrived. This estimate was $203, less than half of the previous total. The authority said it had mistakenly included all of the employee fringe benefits and overhead costs in the hourly rate. The moral of this story? Never trust an estimate from a government agency. Double check all the figures and question anything that appears to be suspect. I've found many agencies back down after they have been caught trying to jack up the price and keep public records private.",
  "provenance": {
    "extracted_by": "pre-v2",
    "extracted_at": "",
    "verified": true
  },
  "similar": [
    {
      "slug": "1991-december-the-cost-of-doing-business",
      "score": 0.23
    },
    {
      "slug": "1995-october-access-to-electronic-records",
      "score": 0.196
    },
    {
      "slug": "1995-may-access-tight-for-electronic-records",
      "score": 0.186
    },
    {
      "slug": "1991-may-cpu-time-part-two",
      "score": 0.173
    },
    {
      "slug": "1998-june-battling-for-access",
      "score": 0.169
    }
  ],
  "html_url": "https://dwillis.github.io/uplink/article/1993-aprilmay-suspicious-figures.html",
  "json_url": "https://dwillis.github.io/uplink/article/1993-aprilmay-suspicious-figures.json"
}