Watching Texas, one county at a time
We run city chapters that publish government documents in full. This is the statewide view: where we already are, where we are going, and — most importantly — how to use Texas's records law yourself, whether or not your town has a chapter yet.
Live chapters
San Angelo, TX
Tom Green County. Live chapter with meeting archive, transcripts, document library and a records request builder.
Open the San Angelo chapter →Texas gives ten business days, but only if a request reaches an address the body has formally designated — and many designate none. That single technicality defeats most citizen requests before they start.
Boundaries from public US Census cartographic data, projected Albers equal-area.
The expansion queue
Places we intend to cover next. These are not accusations. Each is on the list because of its structure — a large capital project, a dominant employer, fast growth, or a big incentive package — which is where public money concentrates and where the documents are worth reading. If something is wrong there, the records will show it. If nothing is wrong, the records will show that too, and we will publish it either way.
Abilene & Taylor County
Same West Texas water basin as San Angelo, same data-centre interest, same aquifer pressure.
Know something here? →Midland & Odessa
Permian Basin. Enormous property-tax abatements under Chapter 312/313-successor agreements.
Know something here? →Lubbock
Municipal electric utility and a fast-growing load from industrial siting.
Know something here? →Waco & McLennan County
Interstate-35 corridor development and rapid annexation.
Know something here? →Tom Green County (beyond San Angelo)
Appraisal-district valuations that set every tax bill in the county.
Know something here? →The queue is not a ranking and it is not fixed. A resident who knows what to ask for beats our guess about which county matters every time. Tell us what is happening where you live →
You do not have to wait for us
Texas's public records law covers every city, county, school district and state agency — not just the ones we have built a site for. The request we would file on your behalf is one you can file yourself today, and we will help you write it.
- Name a document, not a topic. “All agendas and minutes referencing X between these two dates” is hard to refuse. “Everything about X” invites a denial for being overly broad.
- Put the deadline in the letter. Citing the statute tells the custodian you know the clock is running.
- Ask for the exemption in writing. If they withhold, they must say which provision lets them.
- Escalate on paper. A refusal that exists in writing is the beginning of an appeal, not the end of a request.