AG: Public Body Must Disclose “Anonymous” Donator Names –

Jasper County, IL. (ECWd) –

Jasper County Community Unit School District #1 loses another FOIA determination and are still keeping other public records from duly elected school board members in violation of state law.

Last month, the Illinois Attorney General issued a determination which basically states that public bodies must disclose the names of anonymous donators under the Freedom of Information Act because the instant the funds enter the public coffers, they are public funds.

“. . .  the donations become public funds when they enter the district’s coffers, and section 2.5 of FOIA upholds the public interest in records involving the receipt of public funds. Weighed against that public interest, the District did not demonstrate that disclosure of the donors’ names would cause a significant invasion of personal privacy.”

Of course, we already knew this, and suspect the school district also knew, but they keep playing their hide-and-seek game with public records and records elected school board members have a right to review.