The News & Record in Greensboro, N.C., recently won a victory in the ongoing battle for access to computerized information. This month a judge finally ordered Guilford, N.C., county officials to turn over to reporters property tax listings stored on computer tape. The News & Record first sought access to the records last March but balked when county officials said the 164,000 records would cost $8,200. "They were asking a nickel a record, which was the same cost they charge for individual paper records," said Lex Alexander, investigative/database reporter for The News & Record. When The News & Record challenged the cost, county officials changed their tune and argued the records weren't public - at any price. On Feb. 5, a judge rejected the county's argument that making the records public would violate state law prohibiting public officials from using information about individual income. The judge did not, however, settle the issue of cost.
"The agreement is a little weird," said Alexander. "They will give us a copy of the tape now, and if the court rules the cost is some price we don't want to pay, we return the file." North Carolina Public Records Law includes electronic records but does not clearly define what constitutes "reasonable cost," said Alexander.