Commissioners vote to recall Tarrant Appraisal District board chair
TARRANT COUNTY (CBSNewsTexas.com) – Tarrant County Commissioners voted Tuesday to recall the board chair of the Tarrant Appraisal District, two weeks after Keller city leaders did the same, citing transparency and trust concerns at the agency that determines property values.
The vote by county leaders appeared to be tied to a desire to reserve their right to have a say in who takes over the seat, a process that has been thrown into a legal grey area due to Kathryn Wilemon resigning from her position before the recall could officially play out.
Under state tax code, that resignation, resulting in a vacancy, could be viewed as giving the remaining TAD board members the authority to name Wilemon's replacement, from a list of nominees provided by the taxing entities like the county, cities, and school districts.
Under a completed recall effort however, it's the taxing entities that get to vote to determine the new board member. The county had received an official notice of the recall effort from TAD.
People who appeared for public comment in front of commissioners Tuesday, urged them to push forward with the recall.
"I don't see how taxing entities can put up with a board that only appears to be there to rubber stamp every decision of the chief appraiser," said George Dodson.
Scrutiny of the TAD increased last year after a district employee complained to a state agency about local realtor Chandler Crouch, who protests property taxes for free for thousands of homeowners, and the subsequent suspension of chief appraiser Jeff Law over the issue.