HUDSON VALLEY – Mid-Hudson News, the source for breaking news in the Hudson Valley, is celebrating “Sunshine Week 2022” taking place March 13 -March 19. The National Sunshine Week has been celebrated every March since 2005 to mark the importance of Freedom of Information laws.
The Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) in New York allows Mid-Hudson News to obtain information from State and local governments that some elected officials would prefer to be kept in the dark. “FOIL requests are the most powerful tool available to us,” said Mid-Hudson News Reporter and Editor Todd Bender. “It is our job to shine a light on things that some government officials prefer not to disclose.”
Mid-Hudson News Founder and Publisher Hank Gross, a veteran newsman with more than 40 years of experience covering the Hudson Valley called the FOIL laws “An indispensable tool that we use every day to help keep our readers informed with factual information.”
The first FOIL law in New York was established in 1974 and then repealed and rewritten in 1977. The revised version says in part “ The more open a government is with its citizenry, the greater the understanding and participation of the public in government,” and also says ” The people’s right to know the process of governmental decision-making and to review the documents and statistics leading to determinations is basic to our society. Access to such information should not be thwarted by shrouding it with the cloak of secrecy or confidentiality.”
Recent FOIL requests filed by Mid-Hudson News allowed factual information to be reported on regarding three applicants seeking to be named Dutchess County Sheriff, discovering that Newburgh City Manager Todd Venning resides in Dutchess County and was granted a waiver to live outside of the city, and information on the Fishkill Town Supervisor’s government vehicle.
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