MIDLAND, Mich. — The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has voluntarily dismissed a lawsuit against Flint Community Schools after the district agreed to comply with Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act and release public records dealing with school administration.
The lawsuit filed on April 30 stemmed from the district’s failure to provide records related to administrative travel and business expenses. Despite repeated requests, Flint Community Schools ignored the Mackinac Center for over 50 business days, well beyond Michigan’s FOIA response deadline.
“Taxpayers deserve transparency without having to resort to lawsuits,” said Steve Delie, director of transparency and open government at the Mackinac Center. “Flint Community Schools’ delays and resistance to sharing public records undermined the public’s right to know. We’re committed to holding public officials accountable and ensuring that Michigan residents can see how their tax dollars are being spent.”
This settlement marks an important victory, but public entities around Michigan must do a better job complying with the state’s FOIA law. The Mackinac Center remains committed to advocating for government transparency and championing the public’s right to information about how their tax dollars are used.
