Transparency

After backlash, Texas comptroller abandons plan to hide details of controversial tax break program

2022-01-31T15:42:53-06:00

By Mike Morris, John Tedesco Houston Chronicle Originally published Jan. 28, 2022 Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is backing away from a proposal to reduce the information his office collects on the state’s largest corporate incentive program amid an avalanche of criticism from Texans concerned about the future cost to the state. Hundreds of residents and some lawmakers submitted comments on the proposal after Hegar’s office made it public in November - and nearly all of them opposed the idea. “I’m not going to adopt it as proposed,” Hegar said Friday. “The data that people are concerned about or want is still [...]

After backlash, Texas comptroller abandons plan to hide details of controversial tax break program2022-01-31T15:42:53-06:00

Texas AG Ken Paxton must turn over Trump rally records or face lawsuit, Travis County DA says

2022-01-18T21:15:52-06:00

By Lauren McGaughy, John Tedesco and Jay Root The Dallas Morning News and Houston Chronicle Originally published Jan. 13, 2022 The Travis County district attorney has determined that Attorney General Ken Paxton violated Texas' open records law by not turning over his communications from January 2021, when he appeared at the pro-Trump rally that preceded the attack on the U.S. Capitol. The district attorney gave Paxton four days to remedy the issue or face a lawsuit. The probe was prompted by a complaint filed by top editors at several of the state’s largest newspapers: the Austin American-Statesman, Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth [...]

Texas AG Ken Paxton must turn over Trump rally records or face lawsuit, Travis County DA says2022-01-18T21:15:52-06:00

Threats from Gov. Abbott among reasons why a Texas school district keeps book challenges secretive

2022-01-10T17:02:41-06:00

By Talia Richman The Dallas Morning News Originally published Jan. 10, 2022 Fear of retribution from Gov. Greg Abbott contributes to Keller school officials’ push to keep deliberations about which books to ban from libraries private. ... Joe Larsen, an attorney on the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas board of directors, reviewed Keller ISD’s arguments. But despite the district’s concerns, he said, book challenge committee meetings should be open to the public because of the decisions members are empowered to make. “What we’re able to read is the basis of a free society,” Larsen said. “There are obviously going to [...]

Threats from Gov. Abbott among reasons why a Texas school district keeps book challenges secretive2022-01-10T17:02:41-06:00

Houston Chronicle Editorial: Texans need more information on wasteful ‘313’ corporate welfare program – not less

2021-12-10T18:39:07-06:00

Houston Chronicle Editorial Originally published Dec. 10, 2021 There’s a reason Texas lawmakers, Republican and Democrat, got rid of the biggest corporate welfare program in Texas. ... Chapter 313, as it’s known, is a $10 billion boondoggle. The program let wealthy corporations keep a portion of their property values off school district tax rolls for a decade, when property values are often at their peak. It was rife with abuse — some companies claimed they needed tax incentives to lure them to Texas when in fact they’d already broken ground on their Texas projects. It was poorly regulated, with lax standards [...]

Houston Chronicle Editorial: Texans need more information on wasteful ‘313’ corporate welfare program – not less2021-12-10T18:39:07-06:00

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