June 16, 1970

HONORABLE ROBERT E. GILLETTE
Commonwealth's Attorney for Nansemond County

69-70 317

This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter of June 8, 1970, in which you state in part:

"Section 2.1-342(a) provides in part that all official records shall be open to inspection and copying by any citizen of this State having a personal or legal interest in specified records and that access to such records shall not be denied to any such citizen. Sub-paragraph (b) of this § excludes certain records from the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.

"It would be appreciated if you give me your opinion as to whether or not the salary of any county official is excluded from the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act by Sub-paragraph (b) of § 2.1-342 of the Code of Virginia."

Official records which disclose how the public revenue is spent are certainly records which can be inspected by the public pursuant to § 2.1-342, Code of Virginia, as enacted by Chapter 479, Acts of 1968. Indeed a taxpayer and citizen has a personal interest in such records.

I am therefore of the opinion that the records pertaining to salaries paid county officials may be examined by any citizen.