Fort Worth officials are trying to keep secret a list of about 350 city workers who have unpaid parking tickets, the Star-Telegram said today.

From reporter Mike Lee's story:

A lawyer for the city contended that the list is exempt from public disclosure under an exception to the Texas Public Information Act. The law requires cities to turn over information if a citizen requests it. But it has several exceptions, including one for working papers of audits.

But Bill Aleshire, an Austin attorney who works for the Texas Freedom of Information Foundation, said the city's lawyers are missing the point. The Legislature granted that exception in order to make sure that auditors got a chance to finish their work. In this case, the information is already being distributed throughout City Hall.

Anybody who has a copy of the list is welcome to send it to us. We're at news@texaswatchdog.org.

(Picture by flickr user daveynin, used via the Creative Commons license.)

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