Is Bill White a Good Financial Steward?

A local blog has an interesting story concerning former Houston mayor Bill White and his bid for the job of Texas governor:

http://www.bloghouston.net/item/8294

In an interview with the Houston Chronicle's R.G. Ratcliffe this week, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill White flatly refused to release his complete tax returns:

http://blogs.chron.com/texaspolitics/archives/2010/03/white_declines.html

And White's Houston may be bankrupt, to the point that his successor as mayor sharply criticized his financial management of that city this week and suggested the city may soon have to issue furloughs or layoffs. She said, “For years now, we have spent more money than we have taken in. You can't spend more than you earn. It is a very unbusinesslike approach to running things.”

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6907348.html

None of this is boding particularly well for White. What is his problem with financial transparency, whether his personal tax records or those of the City of Houston under his reign? This is a troubling pattern of secrecy.

As the blogHouston post states, White seems to have a record of kicking the can down the road when it comes to financial fixes. Would he do the same if he were to be in charge of the state, too?