Monthly Archives: October 2016
Why Is It So !@#$%^ Hard to Get Information out of My City?
Everyone believes in transparency in government, but the rub comes in implementing it. On the federal level, Congress passed the Freedom of Information Act – commonly known as FOIA – that applies only to the Federal government. On the state level, the Legislature passed the Texas Public Information Act. This Act provides for the… Read More »
Haunted Houses, Imposter Trick-or-Treaters and a Lawyer in a Horned Halloween Costume
Halloween is right around the corner, which means that children are preoccupied with putting the finishing touches on their costumes and computing the fastest routes to the most generous houses, and plenty of adults are going to Halloween parties. If you find yourself at one such party and should happen to strike up a… Read More »
Who? What? Where? When? Why? The Five W’s of Official Newspapers in Texas
Is a city in Texas required to designate an “official newspaper,” and if so, would the city would be required to publish notices in a newspaper that has its offices within the city limits? Does the city need to designate an official paper? It depends, in part, on whether the city is a home… Read More »
The City Attorney, Politics and Keeping out of the Bed of Strange Bedfellows
I am a City Attorney first and foremost. Today, I want to tell you what a City Attorney is not. The City Attorney is not a politician or elected official. That role is reserved for the Mayor and members of the City Council (i.e. the governing body). The City Attorney is not a policy maker…. Read More »