Senate Bill 2 went into effect this year, requiring counties with a population over 75,000 to have their boards of directors increased by three members, who will be elected by voters to staggered four-year terms, the bill says.
Three candidates filed for a place on the ballot to elect a person to the Tarrant Appraisal District board of directors at-large Place 3 position. They are Chuck Kelley, Matt Bryant and Lee Henderson.
Candidates were asked to answer the questions provided in 50 words or less and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.
Editor's note: This article has been updated to include responses from candidate Matt Bryant.
Charles "Chuck" Kelley
Experience:
6 years, Colleyville City Council, Place 5 / 2 years, Colleyville Planning & Zoning
Occupation:
IT consultant / architect
Candidate Website:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557463052540
Contact Information:
817-235-7883
Why are you running for office?
After being term limited after my second term on Colleyville City Council, I wanted to find a new opportunity to serve the citizens of Tarrant County, and I believe I have unique and valuable experience that can assist the TAD Board and citizens.
What are the biggest challenges facing the Tarrant Appraisal District?
Tarrant Appraisal Board has been challenged with major computer systems issues since 2016 as well as needing to make the appraisal and appraisal review processes more transparent, simple and auditable.
How do you plan to address these issues?
Work with the lead assessor to understand and resolve the existing computer systems issues and allow the systems to recover from issues immediately / without loss of data. Create processes that any taxpayer (residential or commercial) can easily understand. Establish audit procedures that ensure that every assessment is correct and understandable.
What would your top priorities be if you are elected?
Establish good communications with the rest of the board and lead assessor. Work with IT to document and resolve all computer systems issues. Review and rewrite the appraisal and appraisal review processes to make them easily understood and auditable (No more unexplainable appraisal markdowns).
Matt Bryant
Experience:
Southlake Carroll ISD board of trustees. Texas Instruments process engineer. Nova Measuring Instruments VP sales.
Occupation:
Real estate investor
Candidate Website:
https://electmattbryant.com/
Why are you running for office?
I am on the ballot for the TAD board of directors. My goals are to be an advocate for the taxpayer, to reform TAD, and ultimately to deliver fair and accurate valuations to residential and commercial owners.
What are the biggest challenges facing the Tarrant Appraisal District?
TAD has lost the public’s trust as a result of years of mismanagement by both the board of directors and the senior administrators. Regaining the public’s trust is the biggest challenge for TAD going forward.
How do you plan to address these issues?
I plan to reform TAD into an organization that serves the taxpayer rather than the taxing entities.
What would your top priorities be if you are elected?
Be an advocate for the taxpayer. Reform TAD. Deliver fair and accurate valuations.
Lee Henderson
Experience:
Comprehensive public policy experience, serving on numerous boards, lifelong Tarrant County resident, have worked with ...
Occupation:
Public policy & advocacy strategist
Candidate Website:
https://leehenderson.org
Contact Information:
214-390-4660
Why are you running for office?
Residents of Tarrant County deserve a fair, equitable and transparent tax appraisal district. This new countrywide nonpartisan elected office presents an opportunity to push towards that goal. TAD is behind the curve compared to other Texas county appraisal districts. This effort should result in lower property taxes.
What are the biggest challenges facing the Tarrant Appraisal District?
Simply, TAD is not trusted by the taxpayers or the taxing units. They’ve gone through embarrassing controversies and they are the worst central appraisal district scored with objective criterion. They score poorly on fairness, equitable and transparency. I hope the new chief appraiser that recently took over moves quickly.
How do you plan to address these issues?
This job hires, fires and evaluates the chief appraiser. It is my expectation that chief appraiser will partner with the TAD board on bringing the district’s operations up to what we can expect from other urban Texas county appraisal districts. Let’s be the best, not the worst.
What would your top priorities be if you are elected?
We have to get the priorities straight. One of the powers of the office is the approval of the TAD annual budget. Let’s look at the personnel plan as part of the budget—let’s compare that to other urban central appraisal districts? Are we right-sized? Do we have the right disciplines?
