Ain't too proud to beg. Or am I?

Readers, I need some advice. I've been blogging on and off since 2002, and I don't think I've ever asked readers to finance my activity. I've raised a little money for charity here and there, but the out-of-pocket expense of blogging, which once was substantial but lately has been zero, has always been my sole responsibility.

Here's the issue: I'm thinking of changing that up a bit on a temporary basis for a project. I'm trying to do some checking on this Raymond Lee character who's just been confirmed as the highest-paid civilian in Portland city government history. And that's led me to file some a public records request in Greeley, Colorado (his former place of employment) as well as in Portland. 

Greeley just got back to me with a bill for $388, which is their estimate of half of what the final charge to me would be to fulfill my first public records request there. That city's  policy forbids any waiver of that charge. In Portland, I haven't been billed for anything yet, and I have requested a fee waiver in the public interest, but there's no guarantee that such a waiver will be granted.

I'm not sure I'm ready to fork over $776 or more to dig up history on Lee, especially when neither the Portland council members nor the local media seem even vaguely interested in what such a search might turn up. I'd be willing to spring for, say, $300 out of my own pocket, but that leaves quite a chunk of change for somebody else to pungle up. So do I start a fundraising campaign to raise the rest from readers?

Once you start taking money from people, expectations and obligations arise. I don't know if my requests would turn up much of interest – you never know – and I'm not sure I want to commit in advance to doing anything in particular with what I find. People who chipped in would have to trust me. 

And would I be breaking any laws or regulations with such a pitch for help with expenses? I'm certainly not a registered charity of any sort.

Readers, what do you think? Should I pass the hat?