Number
001696
Version
ORIGINAL
Reference
971603
Sponsor
THE CHAIR
Title
Resolution relating to a study of the Election Commission's costs of producing voter lists. (City Attorney)
Analysis
This resolution authorizes and directs the Board of Election Commissioners and the City Comptroller to conduct a study of the Election Commission's costs of retrieving, reproducing and providing lists of voters. The findings of the study shall be submitted to the Common Council within 60 days of adoption of this resolution.
Body
Whereas, Section 81-48 of the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances specifies various fees that the Board of Election Commissioners ("Election Commission") is authorized to charge for producing lists of registered voters or persons who voted in particular elections; and
Whereas, The fees contained in s. 81-48 were established by Common Council File Number 971603, which was passed by the Common Council on February 10, 1998; and
Whereas, The fees established by File Number 971603 reflect fee increases proposed by the Election Commission as a means of recovering the rising costs of providing voter lists, rather than having taxpayers subsidize a portion of such costs; and
Whereas, Section 19.35(3)(a), Wis. Stats., permits a government authority to impose a fee upon a requester of a copy of a public record which may not exceed the actual, necessary and direct cost of reproduction and transcription of the record; and
Whereas, The fees established by File Number 971603 were calculated by the City Comptroller's office based on the amount of time that the Election Commission said was required to generate voter records; and
Whereas, In a February 4, 1998, letter to the Common Council, the City Attorney approved File Number 971603 based on the understanding that none of the fees specified in the ordinance exceeded the actual cost of reproducing the records; and
Whereas, Computer system upgrades since passage of File Number 971603 may have lowered the Election Commission's actual costs of retrieving and reproducing voter records; and
Whereas, The Common Council finds that a City staff re-evaluation of the costs of producing voter records would be beneficial and appropriate at this time; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Board of Election Commissioners and the City Comptroller are authorized and directed to work together in conducting a study of the Election Commission's costs of retrieving, copying and providing voter lists; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Board of Election Commissioners and the City Comptroller are directed to submit the findings of their study, to the Common Council within 60 days of adoption of this resolution; and, be it
Further Resolved, That until the study is completed, the Board of Election Commissioners shall charge no more $360.00 for voter poll lists for city-wide elections for the last ten elections.
Requestor
City Attorney
Drafter
BDS:37831