Heavy Hitters!

So in other words, we (cause our tax dollars are who payed for these maps) are just supposed to give them to ONE COMPANY... rather than to ALL of us???

Now your tax dollars bought and paid for will be owned by one company where you have NO representation.

Also, anyone who wants to complain about the State charging $8 should think again, when hordes of people come in wanting copies of these HUGE maps... preventing the county from getting other work done. That's why a fee was ever implemented.

And then to believe Seneca, after spending thousands on mapping software, is just going to give them to the public for free is quite naive.

crystal dawn rulz wrote:And then to believe Seneca, after spending thousands on mapping software, is just going to give them to the public for free is quite naive.

That is my concern as well. These maps are/where made with with taxpayer money. The idea that a company wants to take that information and sell it to people does not sit well with me.

This has happened before actually. A company called Spec-print got copies of the tax maps. They put them in books and sold them back to the counties and the puplic for a good bit of money.

Actually the maps are already available on the Seneca site at no charge. I downloaded mine the other day. So, at least for now, they are not charging a cent.

Randy wrote:Actually the maps are already available on the Seneca site at no charge. I downloaded mine the other day. So, at least for now, they are not charging a cent.

For now. Hopefully it will stay that way.

I don't understand what the big fuss is. You can walk into the GreenBrooke Bld. on Smith Street and purchase all the tax maps for every county in the whole state for $13, for tiff images and $25 for sid files on one disk. Not only surface but mineral also.

crystal dawn rulz wrote:So in other words, we (cause our tax dollars are who payed for these maps) are just supposed to give them to ONE COMPANY... rather than to ALL of us???

Any company SHOULD have access and WILL after the court battle.

You can just as easily purchase all of the maps digitally for about $20. Then place them on your own website or webspace where everyone can copy them. So what's the problem?

Hundreds of companies dealing with FREE government information (that we paid for) sell that information every day and have for many years. If you're either stupid enough to pay for free information... OR you like the way they made it easier to find all of the information and want to buy it, that's your option.

This is a case of government afraid of losing money on something we already paid for. If the company CHARGES just like the government... so what? I'd rather see the money go to pay salaries in the PRIVATE SECTOR ANY DAY!.

in some cases its worth the money to pay a company for the info you want instead of going through the trouble of getting it yourself. Everyone knows what a pain it can be to get info from some government agencies, the companies are charging for a service. If you are too stupid or busy to figure out how to get it yourself then I could see paying for it.

Jerry wrote:I changed the title to better reflect the topic in case any outsiders needed to find it and read it here.

I hoped you might....Thanks Again

A website called:
http://digitalcourthouse.com/
has had had WV Land Book assessment info online for
probably 10 years. The info was free at first but they now
charge a fee. $150 for 6 months.

I asked Dave Hardy a couple of years ago why, if this
digital info was available, it was being sold instead
of being made available online by the county. He never
gave me a straight answer. I'm not sure if he even
knew what I was talking about.

They're whining about Seneca giving this info away but
don't say boo about this other site selling assessment
information.

If these public records are available electronically, they should be
available to the public, through the county's website,
free of charge.

http://digitalcourthouse.com/
has had had WV Land Book assessment info online for
probably 10 years. The info was free at first but they now
charge a fee. $150 for 6 months.

A fine example of what a private business does. They end up charging you whatever they deem fit, while your tax dollars have zero representation.

The idealogy of if your tax dollars pays for it then it should be FREEEEEE.
Oh My. There are a hundred things out there that my tax dollars go to, but I don't expect it or want it something in return for free, I expect nothing for nothing. Well you might say, "Its your tax dollars". So should we all get food stamps or shouldn't kids be supplied with books and taught.
I might be way off base but I'm sure someone will let me know.

crystal dawn rulz wrote:A fine example of what a private business does. They end up charging you whatever they deem fit, while your tax dollars have zero representation.

What do YOU care what they charge? Do you bitch to 7-11 because they charge more than Kroger? And as a consumer, you can always find another place that sells this stuff (maps in this case) OR..... go to the courthouse.

I take it from your comment that you hate private business... love only government. I seem to recall a nation that reciently failed with that idea....

A prudent man would first, get it off the internet if it was for free. Second, if the map was on the internet at a premium price, the prudent man would make a trip to the gubmit office and pay the gubmit price.

crystal dawn rulz wrote:A fine example of what a private business does. They end up charging you whatever they deem fit, while your tax dollars have zero representation.

It is a fine example, its called making a profit for a service. People apparently dont want to bother with getting the maps themselves. I didnt even look at the site but I bet its used by companies and people who deal with land often. To them the fee is not outrageous compared to the time they save in not having to deal with slow gubmint employees like Chisom.

CD I thought you owned a business, is that what you did... charged whatever you deemed fit?

Hounddog wrote: To them the fee is not outrageous compared to the time they save in not having to deal with slow gubmint employees like Chisom.

HEY I resemble that remark