There are legitimate reasons why some sensitive financial and other information about companies seeking taxpayer-funded incentives in Tennessee might need to be kept secret.
But a bill backed by Gov. Bill Haslam goes too far by trying to keep the names of owners of companies secret even after the companies get incentives from the state. That could pave the way for hard-to-detect conflicts of interest.
So it is wise that some Republicans and Democrats alike in the General Assembly have put the brakes on the bill and are seeking changes so that owners of companies will not be able to remain unidentified once they are getting government incentives.
"[C]itizens have the right to know how their tax dollars are used ...," said House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville.
They do indeed. Let's make sure that right is protected.