Bravos to the Empire Center for Public Policy, an independent nonprofit think tank that posts salaries for state employees at SeeThroughNY.net and which recently reached a settlement with the state Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The Transportation Authority had delayed responding to a Freedom of Information Law request from the center for its payroll records. Because of its failure to respond “in a timely manner,” the authority agreed to pay the legal costs and fees the Empire Center incurred suing the authority for the records. “It sends a clear message to every New York government agency that no one is above the law, and that agencies must respond to FOIL requests in a timely manner,” said Tim Hoefer, executive director of the Empire Center. He is right, and we hope every state agency receives that message and understands it.
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