Opinion No. Oag 40-83, (1983)

ROBERT G. MAWDSLEY, Corporation Counsel Waukesha County

You ask four questions relating to fees chargeable under the public records law. Your questions and my answers follow:

1. According to § 19.35 (3) (a) "an authority may impose a fee upon the requester of a copy of a record which may not exceed the actual, necessary and direct cost of reproduction and transcription of the record . . .". Does the phrase "actual, necessary and direct cost of reproduction" limit allowable charges to only those based on the costs of the copying equipment, e.g. chemicals, machine maintenance and purchase, paper,…