A tumblr blog for Texas Watchdog, a nonprofit news Web site covering local and state government in Houston, TX. We’re at www.texaswatchdog.org.Tumblr (3.0; @texaswatchdog)http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/austin-american-statesman-uses-public-records-to-shed-light-on-superintendent-search/">Austin American-Statesman uses public records to shed light on superintendent search</a>: <p>The Austin American-Statesman has used public records to shed light on the Austin school district’s superintendent search. They reported today on what they learned from the notes from candidate…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/196611944http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/196611944Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:45:28 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/coming-tuesday-texas-watchdog-examines-a-potential-conflict-of-interest-at-the-houston-airport-system/">Coming Tuesday: Texas Watchdog examines a potential conflict of interest at the Houston Airport System</a>: <p>Texas Watchdog is rolling out another enterprise story on Tuesday looking at the Houston Airport System. This time we put the spotlight on how a top city airport executive may have been hired by a…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/194638097http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/194638097Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:38:43 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/norway4/">Page 4: Executive has many high-level contacts in oil industry</a>: <p>(Continued from Page 3)<br/> Asked how much Abashawl is paid by the Stavanger agency, Brekke didn’t give a dollar figure but said she was hired for one day of work per week.<br/> But her job with the Houston…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/194638075http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/194638075Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:38:41 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/norwaycontactslist/">Saba Abashawl’s Norwegian contacts</a>: <p>Appointments on the calendar of Houston Airport System executive Saba Abashawl regarding Norway, from late 2007 to early 2009. Texas Watchdog obtained access to her calendar under the Texas Public…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/194638050http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/194638050Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:38:39 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/new-texas-watchdog-story-raises-question-why-did-norwegians-hire-houston-airport-executive/">New Texas Watchdog story raises question: Why did Norwegians hire Houston airport executive?</a>: <p>For those of you who saw our latest story, regarding a Houston Airport System executive’s employment by a city in Norway, we wanted to take a moment and make one note to our readers.<br/> For our piece…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/194637977http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/194637977Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:38:30 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/norway3/">Page 3: Executive’s jobs may have overlapping interests</a>: <p>(Continued from page 2)<br/> Part of Abashawl’s job is dealing with groups like Greater Stavanger Economic Development. In fact, city records suggest that part of her job is dealing with Stavanger…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/194637817http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/194637817Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:38:14 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/norway2/">Page 2: Executive has access to Mayor Bill White</a>: <p>Continued from page 1<br/> In an interview in Norway, Trygve Brekke, international director of Greater Stavanger Economic Development, told Texas Watchdog earlier this month that Abashawl was hired by the…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/194637653http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/194637653Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:38:00 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/norway1/">Houston airports executive does double duty promoting Norwegian town to Houstonians</a>: <p>A top executive for the Houston Airport System promotes Houston to Norway’s oil-and-gas capital city while also promoting the Norwegian town to people in Houston. The city of Houston has paid…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/194637456http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/194637456Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:37:40 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/see-how-much-texas-cities-are-spending-to-lobby-congress-on-transportation-funding/">See how much Texas cities are spending to lobby Congress on transportation funding</a>: <p>Want to see how much your local officials are spending on to lobby the federal government on transportation issues? The Center for Public Integrity has an awesome interactive map as part of their new…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/193555216http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/193555216Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:42:27 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/the-high-cost-of-making-it-harder-to-get-public-records/">The high cost of making it harder to get public records</a>: <p>Fort Worth Weekly has a great piece this week by Dan McGraw on how local governments are repeatedly punting open records requests to the state attorney general’s office, taking up everyone’s time and…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/191933346http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/191933346Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:13:40 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/nonprofit-linked-to-houston-airport-systems-overseas-work-is-not-subject-to-public-records-law-ag/">Nonprofit linked to Houston Airport System’s overseas work is not subject to public records law: AG</a>: <p>A nonprofit corporation through which the Houston Airport System builds and runs airports in other countries is not subject to the state’s Public Information Act and does not have to release its…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/191933354http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/191933354Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:13:40 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/gaping-loophole-in-texas-ethics-law-officials-spouses-left-off-financial-disclosures/">Gaping loophole in Texas ethics law: Officials’ spouses left off financial disclosures</a>: <p>Texas Watchdog has identified politicians — including Houston Councilman and mayoral candidate Peter Brown — who did not list their spouses on annual financial disclosures, even though their…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/190963090http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/190963090Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:55:10 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/new-video-explains-texas-watchdogs-interactive-map-of-legislators-ethics-forms/">New video explains Texas Watchdog’s interactive map of legislators’ ethics forms</a>: <p>If our latest story today on the spousal loophole piqued your interest in Texas politicians’ ethics forms, we’ve got more from where that came from. See our latest how-to video on using our…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/190963082http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/190963082Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:55:09 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/handy-tips-on-cost-of-public-records-in-latest-citizen-watchdog-column/">Handy tips on cost of public records in latest Citizen Watchdog column</a>: <p>For tips on the rules surrounding public records costs in Texas, check out the most recent Citizen Watchdog column in the Dallas Morning News: Unlike many states, Texas has specific rules on what…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/190014213http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/190014213Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:51:31 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/privacy-rules-keep-details-on-corporate-tax-breaks-under-wraps/">Privacy rules keep details on corporate tax breaks under wraps</a>: <p>The public can’t keep close tabs on a tax refund program that gave more than $39 million in breaks over the last two-and-a-half years because of laws keeping tax information private.<br/> The Texas…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/190014220http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/190014220Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:51:31 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/chronicle-metro-keeps-full-budget-hidden-posts-committee-workshop-notices/">Chronicle: Metro keeps full budget hidden, posts committee workshop notices</a>: <p>The Houston Chronicle brings us this update to the paper’s earlier stories that highlighted how difficult it was for the public to find out the time and place of Metro committee workshops. Writer…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/187853282http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/187853282Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:32:45 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/texas-alcoholic-beverage-commission-does-see-the-light-on-transparency-spokesman/">Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission ‘does see the light’ on transparency: Spokesman</a>: <p>A TABC spokeswoman responds to our piece criticizing the agency over transparency issues.</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/186240250http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/186240250Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:40:12 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/blogger-says-stats-show-discrimination-at-houstons-metro-system/">Blogger says stats show discrimination at Houston’s Metro system</a>: <p>Frioman at Politicafe says there’s discrimination afoot in Houston’s Metro system and displays stats (and multi-colored pie charts) saying that 80% of all Metro bus drivers are black, while just 18…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/185264353http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/185264353Fri, 11 Sep 2009 06:58:25 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/want-to-know-how-your-state-legislator-made-money-last-year-check-out-texas-watchdogs-interactive-map/">Want to know how your state legislator made money last year? Check out Texas Watchdog’s interactive map</a>: <p>Texas Watchdog once again lifts the veil on how Texas’ elected leaders make their money — and what conflicts of interest they might have.<br/> We’ve just published the 2009 interactive map of legislators’…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/185264355http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/185264355Fri, 11 Sep 2009 06:58:25 -0500<a href="http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/09/texas-alcoholic-beverage-commission-needs-transparency/">Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission needs transparency</a>: <p>You would hope that a state agency that regulates alcoholic beverage sales would be as transparent as, say, vodka. (Or at least as translucent.) But the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is turning…</p>http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/185264352http://texaswatchdog.tumblr.com/post/185264352Fri, 11 Sep 2009 06:58:24 -0500