AUSTIN, Texas -- The Austin American-Statesman is suing the city for not disclosing the candidates in a hiring search for the city manager.

The Statesman said Austin officials denied requests to release the names of city manager candidates under the Texas Public Information Act.  According to the newspaper's Executive Editor Debbie Hiott, Austin residents will be paying the new manager's salary and deserve to know who is being considered for such a critical role.

 “Whether the City Council agrees or not, the legislative intent of the Texas Public Information Act has always been clear, that this is the type of information the public is entitled to know. If the city doesn’t want to inform the public, the newspaper will,” said Hiott.

The city claims releasing the names would undermine their search for the best candidates. Finalist interviews are currently underway. The interim City Manager Elaine Hart was voted in by the City Council in September 2016.

Texas law states documentation is required to be released to the public when hiring government officials like the city manager.