FOIA Friday: Waiting for financial disclosure records
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A pro-Prop 1 billboard featuring Mayor Mike Duggan. Photo: Samuel Robinson/Axios
Mayor Mike Duggan is a prominent supporter of Prop. 1, a Nov. 8 ballot issue that would require state officials to disclose income sources and other financial information.
Yes, but: Detroit already has financial disclosure requirements — it's just difficult to access the information.
- The city took more than three months — well beyond the legal 15-day window — to answer our June public records request for disclosure statements submitted by Duggan and other high-ranking city employees this year and last.
- In fact, the city did not provide substantive answers to our inquiries until we asked questions on Wednesday for this article.
What they're saying: The delay is because of a mistake pulling the records, Duggan spokesperson John Roach told us yesterday.
- "The documents initially pulled were disclosure forms that were … not responsive to your FOIA, so the process had to start again," Roach wrote in an email.
Why it matters: Duggan set Detroit's financial disclosure rules in a 2015 executive order in an effort to promote transparency.
- But there can be no transparency if the city doesn't turn over the financial disclosure records under FOIA.
- Michigan and Idaho are the only two states that don't require lawmakers to file annual financial disclosure reports.
- Such information is essential to ferreting out conflicts of interest.
Details: If approved, Prop. 1 would require annual financial disclosure forms from all state legislators.
- It would also reduce the total time a politician can serve in the legislature from 14 to 12 years and allow lawmakers the option of serving their terms in any combination of the state House or Senate.
- Representatives now have a six-year term limit.
What's next: The city will provide Axios with the requested financial disclosure forms "in the next day or so," Roach wrote yesterday.