----- Original Message ----- From: "Webwright" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2001 8:44 AM Subject: [CP-L] SS F.O.I.A. Application Fee Increase > May I suggest that people interested in this matter write to Larry G. > Massanari, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, and tell him that they > are opposed to the increase in the cost of obtaining copies of SS applications. > Here's his address: > > Larry G. Massanari > Acting Commissioner of Social Security > Social Security Administration Headquarters > 6401 Security Boulevard > Baltimore, MD 21235-0001 > 800-772-1213 > > May I also suggest that they write to their U.S. Congressional Representatives. > Here's how to find their contact info: > U.S. Senate: <<http://www.loc.gov/global/legislative/senators.html>> > U.S. House: <<http://www.loc.gov/global/legislative/house.html>> > > Because many politicians seem to be out of touch with the average taxpayer, > I intend to do this by mail, sending them a print-out of this page > <<http://www.ssa.gov/foia/foia_guide.htm>> and using a highlighting pen to > draw attention to the new fees. In particular, I will emphasize the jump > in cost from $7 to $27 --- 400%!!! > > Who knows if it will do any good? But I just can't let this pass without > telling my elected representatives how I feel about our government finding > yet another way to gouge American taxpayers. Here are four (of many) > reasons why: > > 1. People were/are required by law to make these applications. They > had/have no choice in the matter. > > 2. People paid/pay vast sums of money into SS for their entire working > lives. The government now has a *nerve* to charge exorbitant fees for > what amounts to public records that have already been paid for many > millions of times over. > > 3. Many, if not most, of the people doing genealogical research happen to > be SS recipients themselves. They can't afford to pay $27 for each > search. This could seriously curtail their ability to use their time in > this productive endeavor, which is so beneficial to our society as a whole. > > 4. These records are supposed to be readily available to the public. Aside > from lack of imagination and will, there's no reason why the SS > Administration couldn't make these documents available over the Internet > for free, as has been done with the Ellis Island passenger manifests. One > of the reasons the current cost of providing these records is so high is > because the SS Administration insists on using outdated technology --- hard > copies by mail. > > I plan to post this message to all the genealogy sites I can find. And I > give permission to anyone who reads this message to forward it to their > friends, family, and favorite genealogy sites as well. Perhaps if people > can demonstrate a ground swell of opposition to this increase, by flooding > these people with letters, the SSA will reconsider the amount of the > increase. It's probably true that $7 is too low to cover the costs. That > being the case, most people probably would not object to a $12 or $14 > charge. But 400%??? Really!!! This is outrageous!!! > > > ==== CEMETERY-PHOTOS Mailing List ==== > If you need to contact the listowner (Paula Easton) you can reach me at [email protected] > Cemetery-Photos Website: http://www.rootsweb.com/~cemphoto/ >