BY CODY THORN
Election cost
The background
Stay tuned
Amount paid so far: $484,110 Amount remaining: $161,360
Senate Bill 2, which passed in July during the 88th legislative session, changed the tax code regarding the makeup of appraisal district boards. Voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment cutting property taxes in November. The proposition also added three elected posi- tions to appraisal district boards in counties with populations over 75,000. The term for the three winners will run until Dec. 31, 2026. Board members will serve stag- gered four-year terms on Jan. 1 of every other even-numbered year, according to section 6.031 of the tax code. The last time new faces were added to the TAD board was in 2023 when Alan Blaylock, Gloria Pena and Gary Lasoda, a former board member, came aboard. Rich DeOtte and Puente won re-election during that same cycle with Puente winning a full term after being appointed in May 2023. “You’re going from five voting members to nine and that’s a huge thing,” Puente Sr. said. “It
$645.5K estimated total
The board’s primary duties are to select the chief appraiser, adopt the annual budget and ensure the district follows policies and procedures set by law, according to its website. The board does not appraise property or make decisions that affect the appraisal records for particular properties. The new board members voted for a three- year appraisal system but it failed 6-3. The two-year model passed, 6-3. Grapevine Mayor William D. Tate said the valuation process needed to change. “The system seems to find the highest sale and adjust adjoining properties to that higher value without adjustments for differences between the two properties like a professional appraiser makes,” Tate said. “TAD tries to revalue property every year, which is an impossible task. They need to revalue property less often and do a more thorough job to be fair.”
SOURCE: TARRANT APPRAISAL DISTRICT/COMMUNITY IMPACT
remains to be seen how that affects things.” The election cost the TAD almost $500,000 so far, Bobbitt said. The estimated cost was $645,000, though they were waiting for the final amount from the county. TAD Quality Assurance Manager Grady Ewing said it was essentially an unfunded mandate by the state due to the timing. The appraisal district was not able to get the election costs in the budget as Senate Bill 2 called for an effective date of Oct. 12, 2023. “I think the biggest thing was the Legislature wanted taxpayers to feel like they’re actually represented. I think it kind of gives a little more fairness,” Bobbitt said.
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