E-Open Records Requests
There are numerous complaints from Anonymous posters on The Ellis County Observer that Rodney Pat Ramsey and I are wasting taxpayer dollars and time by filing needless open records requests. I say that's too flipping bad. Look, for those of you who work for the government -- you should get used to being treated as public property. (to be fair, that goes for me as well, or anyone else who uses public funds to attend school, or do business, etc.) If you don't like handling open records requests, then perhaps feeding off of taxpayers isn't something you should do. I'm working with some HTML-code "gurus" to create The Ellis County Observer Open Records Inquest -- it would be an open records request available on a Web site that you would put "in" information (hence, "in"quest instead of "re"quest) and then send directly from the site to the entity (via e-mail) of your choice that you're seeking info from. Rodney Ramsey's open records requests are huge. They contain virtually the entire Texas Public Information Act on them. But I've altered that to make a shorter version. Copy and paste and put into an e-mail, and then send it to the entity of your choice.

In case anyone forgets, the cities, schools, county, state, and federal agencies are our governments. Open records requests are designed to get information about what goes on in our governments. I encourage anyone on the Observer to file open records requests. And keep doing it and keep doing it until you get all of the information you're seeking. And if someone gripes about the "waste" of taxpayer dollars, tell them to screw off. It's our government and we have a right to know about what goes on.

Note: Don't forget to change my information in red to your own.

TEXAS PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT Request

Joseph "Joey" Dauben
The Ellis County Observer
1200 Sycamore #8354
Waxahachie, TX 75165
Cell: 972-891-2135 or 972-268-2605

Dec. 21, 2006
Attn: Public Information Officer

Dear Officer for Public Records:
This request is made under the Texas Public Information Act, Chapter 552, Texas Government Code, which guarantees the public's access to information in the custody of governmental agencies. I respectfully request a copy of the the following information:

(1) A copy and/or copies of a document that show every attorney employed in the county attorney's office (first, last name, title or rank) or employees with the title of "attorney" and

(2) how much in yearly salary, commission, etc. said attorneys make;

In the interest of expediency, and to minimize the research and/or duplication burden on your staff, I would be pleased to personally examine the relevant records if you would grant me immediate access to the requested material (exception due to traveling conflicts). Additionally, and since time is a factor, please communicate with me by telephone and e-mail rather than by mail. My telephone number is: 972-891-2135 or joeydauben@hotmail.com
Disclosure of this information is in the public interest because providing a copy of the information primarily benefits the general public. I therefore request a waiver of all fees and charges pursuant to Section 552.267 of the act.
I shall look forward to hearing from you promptly, as specified in the law. Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,
Joseph "Joey" Dauben
The Ellis County Observer
www.elliscountyobserver.com