Group Sues Town of Islip For Allegedly Failing to Comply With FOIL

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY - A New York City based non-profit recently filed a lawsuit against two Long Island town governments and one school district.

The group, Reclaim New York, announced last week that they have chosen to sue the Town of Islip, as well as the Town of Babylon and Southampton School District, for allegedly refusing to comply with the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL).

As part of the group's New York Transparency Project, Reclaim New York sent over 250 FOIL requests in May to 13 towns, 97 villages and 125 school districts on Long Island.

“It’s time Long Island’s taxpayers saw how their money is being spent,” Reclaim New York Executive Director Brandon Muir said in a press release. “Reclaim’s efforts put every public official and taxpayer-funded entity on notice that the days of spending money in the shadows are over.”

According to the group, the Town of Islip asked that an affidavit be signed in order to make the non-profit liable for any “claims and damages” that resulted from the release of the records.

The Town of Islip did not return Patch's request for comment at press time.

In June, the group filed a lawsuit against the Town of Oyster Bay as well as the Elmont and Manhasset school districts.