transparency

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

FOIFT2022-01-31T15:42:53-06:00

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 programFOIFT2022-01-31T15:42:53-06:00

Why Austin ISD’s search for a new leader will remain confidential despite calls for transparency

FOIFT2020-07-20T15:47:48-05:00

By Melissa B. TaboadaAustin American-StatesmanOriginally published July 17, 2020 Days before the Austin school board is slated to select a new superintendent, several parents and community groups are making a final push to convince the school district to allow them to help vet the candidates in a selection process often shrouded in mystery. ... But the board has no plan to list the contenders, their answers to trustees’ interview questions or to slow down the process. Austin superintendent searches have widely varied, with some more transparent than others. Unlike the process for city managers and police chiefs, Texas law protects the [...]

Why Austin ISD’s search for a new leader will remain confidential despite calls for transparencyFOIFT2020-07-20T15:47:48-05:00

Commentary: Transparency, economic development regulations are dying in Texas

FOIFT2019-02-07T17:39:55-06:00

By Nathan M. Jensen and Calvin Thrall University of Texas Commentary in Austin American-Statesman Originally published Feb. 6, 2019 Amazon’s search for a second headquarters, the so called HQ2, should make Texans concerned about the lack of transparency of economic development. Many cities have not released their HQ2 bids to the public, even though the competition is now complete. In Texas, none of our cities including Austin, Dallas and Houston has released its bid. But this lack of transparency is not limited to the competition for Amazon. Economic development policy is largely shielded from the public by Texas public records laws. [...]

Commentary: Transparency, economic development regulations are dying in TexasFOIFT2019-02-07T17:39:55-06:00

Dallas Morning News: How transparent is your community?

FOIFT2015-01-26T15:40:57-06:00

By Bob Mong Editor The Dallas Morning News Originally published Jan. 24, 2015 As a citizen, you have the right to inspect vast amounts of public information about how taxpayer dollars are spent. It’s your right. It’s the law. The law is quite specific about what is available and how quickly information should be delivered to citizens. Several enterprising Dallas Morning News reporters were determined to find out how well the Texas Public Information Act was being applied by government entities. In a yearlong project, the reporters sent out and tracked 565 requests to 113 area cities, towns, county governments and school districts. [...]

Dallas Morning News: How transparent is your community?FOIFT2015-01-26T15:40:57-06:00

Change in sheriff’s public information policy poses access problems

FOIFT2014-07-22T14:31:11-05:00

By Karen Antonacci The Monitor Originally published July 20, 2014 When the story of an appeals court judge arrested July 12 after failing a sobriety test broke later that afternoon, local media ran with the only photo they had of her — a coiffed glamour shot that graced her 2012 campaign signs. Nora Lydia Longoria, who was elected in 2012 to the 13th Court of Appeals, where she serves a 20-county area with four other justices, looks much different in her mug shot —tired with bloodshot eyes. The picture was included in a news release the McAllen police department issued Monday [...]

Change in sheriff’s public information policy poses access problemsFOIFT2014-07-22T14:31:11-05:00

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