cards
Some Question City’s Decision to Keep IDNYC Documents
Jarrett Murphy |
When the municipal ID law was being drafted, there was a fierce debate over whether the city needed to keep copies of the identity documents supplied by applicants.
CITY WIRE: THE BLOG
De Blasio’s ‘Agent of the City’ Dodge: Is it Even Original?
Jarrett Murphy |
City Hall argues that advice from some outside political operatives (who double as lobbyists) can be shielded from public disclosure. It’s a new spin on two familiar problems.
CITY WIRE: THE BLOG
FOIL Law Blocks Access to List of Gunless Cops
Jarrett Murphy |
How many cops are on modified duty? We want to know. A state law says we can’t.
Bronx
Inmates Want Files to Prove Innocence. DA Can’t Find Them.
Stan Johnson, Brianna Lorenzana, Cristyn Mingo, Arlenis Pena, Rickie Quansah, Kayla Ray, Adaury Rodriguez and Nickie Uwoghiren |
A handful of inmates convicted of violent crimes sued the prosecutor in recent years to demand documents under the freedom of information act. In some cases, the files simply couldn’t be found.
Government
NYC’s Open Data Law Lacks Teeth, Lags Deadlines
Adam Wisnieski |
The de Blasio administration is behind schedule on making information from city agencies available on the city’s Open Data website. Advocates say the law requiring data releases broke new ground, but lacked any enforcement mechanism.
admissions
Manhattan Parents Press DOE on Middle-School Selection
Ruth Ford |
The effort to compel the DOE to release the information is part of a years’ long effort by the Community Education Council of District 2 to turn what is often an opaque, confusing and infuriating process into one of greater fairness and greater transparency, CEC members say.
Government
How de Blasio Can Fix FOIL
Adam Wisnieski |
As public advocate, he saw shortcomings in the city’s compliance with the public information law. A City Limits test of transparency in his young administration finds room for improvement remains.
CITY WIRE: THE BLOG
Seen Here First: State Board Eyes FOIL Blindspot
Jarrett Murphy |
A state commission has asked the legislature to review a quirk in the freedom of information law that protects some employees, but not others, from public scrutiny.
Bronx
Public Finally to Have Access to Hyper-Local Crime Stats
Jordan Moss |
Newly signed legislation will correct a blind-spot in the NYPD’s crime-report transparency, one we reported on last year.
FOIL
How to Use the Freedom of Information Law
Jack Curran |
City and state agencies are increasingly placing information that once required a FOIL request on their website. Before you initiate a formal FOIL request, you should prowl the agency’s site to see what is there for the taking.
