By Rosanna Ruiz - Texas Watchdog
Mayor Bill White has for more than two months hidden his calendar and his correspondence with a developer but the attorney general says White must now release at least a portion of this information.
White argued to keep some of the records under wraps after Texas Watchdog requested them in January under the Texas Public Information Act. However he hasnt released any of the records.
Texas Watchdog requested his 2008 calendar as well as correspondence between White and developer Marvy Finger whose firm built condominiums adjacent to a downtown park.
White declined to release the information citing privacy concerns and instead sought an attorney generals ruling. Other local and state leaders have made their calendars public following similar requests.
It is unclear whether Whites stance centered on information found in his calendar his communications or both. Texas Watchdog challenged Whites position to the attorney generals office.
The mayor will abide by the AGs open records letter ruling a mayors office spokesman said.
Texas Watchdog sought communication related to a 12-acre park which opened last year. Discovery Green is a private-public venture in which the city contributed more than half the land for the project and spent $7.9 million for the remaining space across from Houstons convention center. The city also created the Houston Downtown Park Corp. in which it will contribute $750000 each year for maintenance of the park according to Discovery Greens Web site.
In January the Houston Chronicle reported that White had written an endorsement on city letterhead promoting Fingers One Park Place development. In response White told the newspaper the letter was part of an agreement with Finger to promote the 37-story building. Finger a White campaign contributor said the letter was unsolicited.
It is unclear from the AGs ruling what information White must release regarding the project but the AGs office determined White may exclude the personal contact information or other matters related to his private social affairs unrelated to his official role as mayor.
White initially refused Texas Watchdogs request more than two months ago saying he did not want to reveal personal contact information of those with whom he met last year. The mayor declined last week when Texas Watchdog asked his office to release portions of his calendar he agreed were public.
Other high-level officials release calendars
Harris County Judge Ed Emmett Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst have all released their calendars which are being reviewed by Texas Watchdog. (Check back at
www.texaswatchdog.org for those documents.) The officials blacked out some information on the calendars which they apparently believed was not subject to public records law.
White had released his calendar several years ago but this time sought a formal legal ruling so he could redact the third-party contact information a spokesman for the mayor said.
This has to deal with privacy issues related to people who may be on the schedule" Pat Trahan Whites spokesman said last week. We have gone through this process before."
White had been advised by a city attorney not to release portions of the calendar until a ruling had been issued.
That stance however skirts Texas law regarding swift disclosure of public information an attorney who is an expert on public records issues said.
He shouldnt withhold the whole thing" said Austin attorney Bill Aleshire of The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. Thats not consistent with the statute. (Officials are) required to release any information they dont intend to ask the attorney general to withhold."
White who has served as Houstons mayor for five years is running for a U.S. Senate seat.
