Grace Ferguson v. Lawrence, City of - Office of the City Clerk (SPR 20230519)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records March 30, 2023 SPR23/0519 Eileen O’Connor Bernal Records Access Officer City of Lawrence 200 Common Street Lawrence, MA 01840 Dear Ms. Bernal: I have received the petition of Grace Ferguson appealing the nonresponse of the City of Lawrence (City) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66, § 10A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). On March 1, 2023, Ms. Ferguson requested the following records: [1] Records showing the city’s tax rates [2] Records showing the total dollar amount of outstanding taxes [3] Records showing the tax delinquency rate [4] Records showing the number of tax accounts on payment plans [5] Records showing the tax payment plan default rate[.] Claiming to not yet have received a response, Ms. Ferguson petitioned this office and this appeal, SPR23/0519, was opened as a result. Subsequently, I learned that a representative from the City intends on providing a written response to Ms. Ferguson. Accordingly, the City is ordered to provide Ms. Ferguson with said response in accordance with the Public Records Law, its Regulations and this order within ten business days. A copy of any such response must be provided to this office. It is preferable to send an electronic copy of this response to this office at pre@sec.state.ma.us. Ms. Ferguson may appeal the substantive nature of the City’s response within ninety days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 • (617) 727-2832• Fax: (617) 727-5914 sec.state.ma.us/pre • pre@sec.state.ma.us

Eileen O’Connor Bernal SPR23/0519 Page 2 March 30, 2023 Sincerely, Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records cc: Grace Ferguson