by Post Somerville in Media, Politics, Public Records / FOIA Requests
Posted on November 12, 2010 at 6:49 pm
Last Modified on November 19, 2010 at 11:48 am
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We at Post Somerville are excited to announce that, through a Freedom of Information Act request facilitated by MuckRock, the most recent campaign finance reports for the mayor of Somerville and members of the Board of Aldermen are now available online.
These reports detail both the contributions from individuals to these officials’ campaigns and the way the money was spent.
This information is critical to understanding the relationship between money and politics in Somerville. While these reports are only one piece of the puzzle, even a quick glance will show that many who get contracts and receive zoning relief from the city appear in these lists.
Until now, this information has only been available to people willing to go to City Hall and ask to see the reports. Having these reports online means anyone can access them at any time – without city officials knowing you’re looking at them.
Post Somerville will be analyzing the reports in the coming months. We will also be working to expand disclosure by obtaining both older filings. Please feel free to share any ideas about what you would like to see come from this project.
Thanks again to: MuckRock’s Michael Morisy, those who provided funding through Spot.us, and the City of Somerville Elections Department, for their help in putting these documents where they belong.
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Hooray! We did it!. Thanks to Michael Morisy @ MuckRock and the team at Post Somerville!
At least someone is doing real investigative journalism in this town!
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This was a brilliant use of Spot.Us. We are very happy to have helped play our part. Hoping we can liberate more documents for Somerville Voices and/or MuchRock soon!
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