Why did it cost NC taxpayers $54.79 to mail a letter?

A copy showed up in the mail last week at WRAL. It took Coble, who is in charge of the state Legislative Building, a little less than 60 days to provide it. At the bottom of his cover letter, Coble included this: "Fulfilling this request equated to approximately $54.79 of taxpayer funds."

North Carolina law generally requires public officials to produce records for free or to charge minimal photocopying costs. Coble's office didn't charge WRAL a cent. He just made it clear, as has become standard practice for the Legislative Services Office under his leadership, how much he believed it cost to process the request.

The mailing actually included two records: The October records request from Cooper's office and a similar request that the administration sent lawmakers in December 2018.

Altogether, that's seven pages. Eight if you count Coble's cover letter.

Nothing was redacted. No one had to black anything out before photocopies were made, and the letter was sent through the regular mail.

How it cost taxpayers "approximately $54.79" to produce these eight pages is unclear. Coble, a Republican and a former mayor of Raleigh and Wake County commissioner, didn't respond to phone calls or emails over several days this week.