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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNewton Letter Cathey Wilson Froen: Joe Bennett <djbennett408@gmaii.com>' Sent: Thursday,August 1, 2019 4:12 PM To: Cathey Wilson Subject: Editorial submission - , From:Joe Bennett Date: Monday, December 11, 2017 �ubject: Editosial submission . � Dear Star Telegram, Your recent editorial in the'Star Telegram'addressed several reasons why many citizens have lost faith in the Tarrant Appraisal�istrict(TAD). Citizens have no direct opportunity to affect the govemance,policy or operarions of TAD,although decisions TAD and its management make directly afFect every individual that owns property in Tarrant County.The Board of Directors of the TAD is the goveming and policy making body that the Executive Director of TAD answers to.The taxing entities in Tarrant County nominate and elect the TAD Board of Directors.However,the election process is not known or understood by many cirizens and is unfair to the smailer cities. Although al]taxing entiries(cities,county,school districts,etc.)each vote on TAD boazd of Directors,these votes are heavily weighted.The fewer larger taxing enrides(large cities,school districts,county)individually have 25 to 30 times more votes than the more numerous,but smaller taxing enriries(smaller cities).This makes it nearly impossible for smaller cities to gain any representation on the TAD Board of D'uectors.To elect a Director the smaller cities must work together and even then the larger taxing enrities can take advantage of an unfair voting process to overcome the efforts of the smaller cities. Taxing entiries vote in public meetings at any dme before the deadline for votes to be counted.Since these votes aze public record,lazger entities that have many hundreds of votes simply wait until the deadline,find out if the candidates they want have enough votes or not,apply their hundreds of votes in block to elect their candidates.This is very unfair to the smaller ciries that have only 10 to 30 votes each. A perfect example of this is the Tarrant County Commissioners Court.Just this week they had on their agenda to vote for TAD Board of Director nominees.However,after checking the votes already in,they did not vote,but tabled their vote waiting unril next week,just before the deadline in order to guarantee they knew how many votes to apply to their candidates to guarantee their election.Small ciries do not have this iuxury because none of them individually have enough votes to elect any single Board member. This voting inequity can easily be eliminated by requiring.that all votes be done at the same time.This would be much fairer to the smal]cities and would be a simple and small step for TAD to take to begin rebuilding the h�ust with citizens and elected officials in smaller ciries. You infened in your editorial that the Tarrant Appraisal District has a group of disengaged Directors who are not doing the business for which they were elected.It seems the Commissioner Court and other larger taxing entities are promoting this and many other characteristics you so expertly pointed out Unfortunately these practices may be harming the citizens of Tarrar►t County in its wake. , Richard Newton 1208 Holly Lane Colleyville,TX 8 I 7-2�17-I 6�F'' � 1 � 1. gives opportunity for taxing units to vet candidates 2. gives clarity to the process 3. will make the voting process fairer •can invite candidates to a meeting •opportunity to acquire written responses to a set of questions posed by the taxing unit ��opportunity for the candidate to visit with each taxing unit without invitation •ample time to make sure of proper notifications by CAD . •this will create ample time to coordinate with like minded taxing units who share the same concems and/or issues about representation. •accountabitity of the candidates to the taxing units will be expanded . •slows down the process; enabling to iden6fy what is in the best interest of each participant in order to provide the best representation for people they represent •takes away any inequities within in the process tracking and registering casted ballots �ample time to fix any inconsistencies that may develop due to unintended errors(Crowley's 2015 votes were not counted) •allows for taxing units to obtain a baltot and resume of each candidate(some received nothing i.e. RIVER OAKS 2017) JB � � � C RESOLUTION R-19-4412 A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A CHANGE TO THE PROCEDURE FOR VOTING FOR CANDIDATES TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE TARRANT APPRAISAL DISTRICT; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Colleyville, Tarrant County, Texas � (the "City") hereby supports a procedural change to the voting period for taxing units to cast ballots for candidates to serve on the Tarrant Appraisal District board of directors pursuant to � Texas Tax Code 6.03; and , WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the procedural changes set forth herein will increase impartiality and transparency in the voting process; WHEREAS, the City Council finds it has the authority to approve �the proposed procedural changes pursuant to Texas Property Tax Code 6.03. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLLEYVILLE, TEXAS: Sec. 1 THAT the foregoing recitals are incorporated herein and made a part of this Resolution. � Sec. 2 THAT the City Council hereby finds that each and every taxing unit eligible to vote for candidates to serve on the board of the Tarrant Appraisal District under Texas Tax Code 6.03 shall be required to cast all of the taxing unit's votes for candidate(s) of its choice no earlier than December 8 and no later than December 14 of each odd-numbered year, during the taxing unit's regularly scheduled meeting day and time. Sec. 3 THAT any taxing unit that does not have a regularly scheduled . � meeting during �the-timeframe defined in Section 2 (�above), � � may, during that time period, �call a special meeting during which the taxing unit shall.be required to cast all of the taxing unit's votes for candidate(s) of its choice. � Sec. 4 THAT should any taxing unit eligible to vote under Texas Tax Code 6.03 fail to conduct its vote in conformance with the procedural changes adopted herein, the taxing unit shall be procedural changes adopted herein, the taxing unit sha61 be deemed to have waived it vote and that taxBng unit's proportionate voting entitlernent under Texas Tax Code Section f.03 shal9 not be counted toward nor included in the�total votes cast for the candidates to serve on the board of directors. Sec. 5 THAT should any v�►or�, sentence, paragraph, clause, phrase or parts of this reso0ution b� adjudged or held to be void, the �ame shall not affeet the validity of the re�nain portions which of this resolution which shall remain in full force and effecto Sec. C TwAT this re�o9ution shall be efFective irnr�ediately upon approvai. � AND IT' IS �O RESOLVEDs . APPROVED BY A VOTE OF _ AVES, _ IVAYS AND _ A�STENTIONS OIV THIS THE DAY OF 2019. Mayor Richard Newton Mayor Pro Terr� Bobb}r Lindamood Place 1, Tammy Nakamura Place 3, Kathy Wheat Place 4, George Dodson Place 5, Chuck Kelley Piace 6, Callie Rigney A'TTEST: CITY OF COLLEYVILLE Christine Loven, TRMC Richard iVewton City Secretary Mayor �