Jackson city mayor refuses to turn over records
From Sunshine Review
27 December 2008
Jackson city Mayor Frank Melton has refused to release financial records requested by the chairman of the City Council's budget committee. Councilman Jeff Weill requested summaries of the city's 1099 and W-2 forms for the last several years, only to be met with rejection. It is the latest in a series of battles over information between the Mayor and Council.[1]
The Council is planning a vote to compel the mayor to release the records, which Melton said he will veto. City Council members are keeping open the possibility of suing for the information. [2]
[edit] Financial Information
The federal forms Weill requested track payments made by the city to employees and contract workers. He said the information will help the council to better understand how the city, with a budget of $354.5 million for 2008-09, is spending taxpayer money.
A memo from the city attorney's office said the request was denied because Weill did not give a reason for the request and that the documents contained personal information. In response, Weill emailed the Mayor, suggesting that if personal information is the issue, his administration can easily redact it.
"We need to get a clear summery of where the money goes," Weill stated. "We shouldn't have to subpoena that information. We shouldn't have to use a public records request." Yet if the Melton administration does not provide the documents, the council is preparing to do just that.[1]
[edit] Not the first clash
This is not the first time the City Council is at odds with Melton over information. Last November council members complained after they were not told the city's new JATRAN contract was in trouble until just days before it fell apart.
And just earlier this week council members complained that they had not been briefed on a $560 million proposal Melton submitted to Congress for possible funding from a new federal stimulus package. On both occasions administration officials said they had planned on telling the council.[1]
