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Archiver > MIWASHTE > 2002-03 > 1015688249


From: "Mary Ferguson" <>
Subject: Re: [MIWASHTE] Outrageous cost of Washtenaw death records
Date: Sat, 9 Mar 2002 10:37:29 -0500
References: <20020309143510.79503.qmail@web12907.mail.yahoo.com> <009701c1c77c$b1395040$36b92904@RonChard>


Hi Ron,

When you said "they don't want to waste their time," I take it you were
referring
to the opinion of the bureaucrats that administer or work at the county
clerk's office.

Government offices exist to provide services to the public. If the public
is willing
to pay a reasonable fee to request information from said government offices
(who are
financed by the public's tax dollars), then IMOHO, it is not up to some
bureaucrat to
decide which requests are a waste of time, and which aren't.

It's interesting how widely the cost of vital records vary from county to
county in Michigan.
A few years back, the state standardized the fees charged by probate courts
throughout the state. Maybe it's time to do the same for county clerks
offices.

Regards,
Mary Ferguson


----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron Chard" <>
To: <>
Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2002 10:11 AM
Subject: Re: [MIWASHTE] Outrageous cost of Washtenaw death records


> Just maybe they are trying to say they don't want to waste their time
> assisting genealogists in there search for their ancestors. By raising
the
> cost to the level they have, no one will ever ask them for a copy.
>
> Ron
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mary Henderson" <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2002 9:35 AM
> Subject: [MIWASHTE] Outrageous cost of Washtenaw death records
>
>
> > Hi!
> >
> > I've just recently learned that Washtenaw County
> > charges $13 for a certified death certicate, and
> > doesn't provide uncertified copies, and apparently
> > won't let you just look at the record and hand write
> > the info. Is it just me, or do others think this is
> > outrageously expensive?
> >
> > I don't have any roots in Washtenaw County, but since
> > I live here, I thought I'd subscribe to this list and
> > occasionally try to help people that are doing
> > research here. I have a lot of ties to Ohio, though,
> > and there I can get birth, death and marriage records
> > for $.03 each from the Ohio Dept. of Health, if I'm
> > willing to wait up to 6 months. And if I want to be
> > extravagant and get the records in 2-4 weeks, I pay $1
> > through the State Historical Society.
> >
> > Michiganders have a friendly competitive streak
> > towards Ohioans; why is it Michigan can't manage to
> > compete when it comes to helping genealogists get
> > vital records ;-)
> >
> > Although, having said that, Jackson County, which is
> > one county west of Washtenaw County, will give
> > uncertified copies of death certificates for $.50.
> > How is it that one county will charge $.50 and another
> > county will charge $13 for the same thing?
> >
> > I'd love to get others thoughts on this.
> >
> > Mary
> >
> > __________________________________________________
> > Do You Yahoo!?
> > Try FREE Yahoo! Mail - the world's greatest free email!
> > http://mail.yahoo.com/
> >
>
>

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