Post by sj on Jun 20, 2011 22:51:47 GMT -5
AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry's office has asked lawmakers hammering out details of a school finance bill to include an unrelated provision that would keep secret the expenses of the Department of Public Safety team that provides security when he and his wife, Anita, travel.
The issue is pending before the Texas Supreme Court, which is considering an appeal of two lower court decisions favoring the public's right to review the travel records under the Texas Public Information Act.
The Houston Chronicle, the San Antonio Express-News and the Austin American-Statesman filed suit in 2007 to obtain records after the DPS withheld them, claiming security concerns.
Lawmakers during the regular session failed to pass two proposals to keep the travel expenses private, but Perry's office last week resurrected the issue by asking lawmakers to add it to the school finance bill, according to members of the conference committee.
"We are discussing it and evaluating the merits of the idea," said State Sen. Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock. "We want to be sufficiently transparent, but not necessarily provide a road map for anyone who would misuse the information."
News agencies against it
Some members of the conference committee were skeptical about including language that would limit the public's ability to know about government expenditures.
"Until I see the language, I am not sure I agree with it," said Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano.
"Details like which hotel, restaurants or car rental - I am not sure those are relevant. But the cost and how many people travel - those kinds of things are important. Transparency is important to my constituents. I am going to have to know how many people. I want to know the total cost."
DPS attorneys contend security efforts would be harmed by the public knowing details of how many officers travel with the Perrys or their patterns of travel.
The newspapers have argued that security could not be an issue because the records are being sought long after the travel has occurred.
Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, who opposed the measure during the regular session of the Legislature, noted that the conferees considering the governor's request were not privy to the debate in committee, which he said failed to justify the proposal.
"I don't see any security issue. The trips are over and done with ," he said.
'A proper balance'
State Sen. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen, said he thought a compromise could be found to "let the public know the cost, but not disclose locations. ... I am sensitive of the public's right to know, but there has to be a proper balance."
Perry press secretary Katherine Cesinger said, "Our office is continuing to work with lawmakers on a number of issues, but I'm unaware of any effort that you mentioned."
Since 2006, the DPS has provided the public with totals on how much it spends on security travel.
Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News writer Peggy Fikac reported last October that Texas taxpayers had spent close to $1 million for security during 23 foreign trips taken by the Perrys over a seven-year period.
More detailed records used to be available; for example, records showed expenditures in 2005 for golf cart and scuba diving equipment during a trip to the Bahamas.
Austin attorney Bill Christian, representing the newspapers, noted those details "would be lost forever" if the state releases only lump sum expenditures.
Jeff Cohen, editor of the Houston Chronicle, said the governor was wrong to keep the information secret.
"It's not his money. It's ours," Cohen said. "We have a right to know where he is going and what he is doing and what his entourage is doing."
Read more: www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7619180.html#ixzz1PsYNlPMC
The issue is pending before the Texas Supreme Court, which is considering an appeal of two lower court decisions favoring the public's right to review the travel records under the Texas Public Information Act.
The Houston Chronicle, the San Antonio Express-News and the Austin American-Statesman filed suit in 2007 to obtain records after the DPS withheld them, claiming security concerns.
Lawmakers during the regular session failed to pass two proposals to keep the travel expenses private, but Perry's office last week resurrected the issue by asking lawmakers to add it to the school finance bill, according to members of the conference committee.
"We are discussing it and evaluating the merits of the idea," said State Sen. Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock. "We want to be sufficiently transparent, but not necessarily provide a road map for anyone who would misuse the information."
News agencies against it
Some members of the conference committee were skeptical about including language that would limit the public's ability to know about government expenditures.
"Until I see the language, I am not sure I agree with it," said Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano.
"Details like which hotel, restaurants or car rental - I am not sure those are relevant. But the cost and how many people travel - those kinds of things are important. Transparency is important to my constituents. I am going to have to know how many people. I want to know the total cost."
DPS attorneys contend security efforts would be harmed by the public knowing details of how many officers travel with the Perrys or their patterns of travel.
The newspapers have argued that security could not be an issue because the records are being sought long after the travel has occurred.
Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, who opposed the measure during the regular session of the Legislature, noted that the conferees considering the governor's request were not privy to the debate in committee, which he said failed to justify the proposal.
"I don't see any security issue. The trips are over and done with ," he said.
'A proper balance'
State Sen. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen, said he thought a compromise could be found to "let the public know the cost, but not disclose locations. ... I am sensitive of the public's right to know, but there has to be a proper balance."
Perry press secretary Katherine Cesinger said, "Our office is continuing to work with lawmakers on a number of issues, but I'm unaware of any effort that you mentioned."
Since 2006, the DPS has provided the public with totals on how much it spends on security travel.
Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News writer Peggy Fikac reported last October that Texas taxpayers had spent close to $1 million for security during 23 foreign trips taken by the Perrys over a seven-year period.
More detailed records used to be available; for example, records showed expenditures in 2005 for golf cart and scuba diving equipment during a trip to the Bahamas.
Austin attorney Bill Christian, representing the newspapers, noted those details "would be lost forever" if the state releases only lump sum expenditures.
Jeff Cohen, editor of the Houston Chronicle, said the governor was wrong to keep the information secret.
"It's not his money. It's ours," Cohen said. "We have a right to know where he is going and what he is doing and what his entourage is doing."
Read more: www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7619180.html#ixzz1PsYNlPMC
