A Grimes County citizens group, Grimes County Citizens for Responsible Development (GCCRD), filed a petition Tuesday in Travis County's 126th District Court seeking public records about the Terafab tax abatement. The group said the filing is awaiting acceptance by the district clerk. It is also joining a lawsuit SpaceX filed in September to keep some of those records private.
The records relate to commissioners' June 3 approval of the abatement. They include emails between county officials, consultants and SpaceX, SpaceX's tax abatement application and draft documents. The group said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office ruled on July 28 that the county could withhold only certain attorney-client communications. The group said the county has not released the rest. SpaceX argues the records are trade secrets and that releasing them would cause "substantial competitive harm."
The group's attorney, Bill Aleshire of Austin, said Texas law protects incentive negotiations only until a deal is signed. He estimated a hearing could come in December. Marie Egyed, director of operations for GCCRD, said residents feel shut out of the process.