Star-Telegram endorsement: Place 3, Tarrant Appraisal District board | Opinion
The Place 3 race for new elected positions on the Tarrant Appraisal District Board drew three strong candidates, a promising start for more transparency and accountability at the agency that assesses property values for tax purposes.
We believe Matt Bryant, a former Southlake Carroll school district trustee, has the edge, with his combination of governing experience and knowledge of the appraisal system’s issues and quirks as a property owner. With a track record in business and as an elected official, Bryant can help identify where the district can make operations more efficient and improve service to taxpayers.
In our interview with the candidates, he stressed a plan to move appraisals to a three-year cycle and further reduce the amount property values can increase. Candidates across the three races disagree whether this can be done without the Legislature’s approval, but those are the kind of innovations that new members need to bring to an entity that has frustrated taxpayers with what too many see as an opaque mode of operating.
Bryant, a 53-year-old Southlake real estate investor, said he owns about 60 rental properties in Tarrant County. He’ll need to be careful to avoid any signs of conflict of interest or undue influence when those homes come up for review.
His two opponents both bring information technology experience that would help the beleaguered agency, which recently experienced a ransomware attack. Lee Henderson, 46, of Fort Worth is a public policy adviser whose background serving on city boards and in other organizations would inform his service at TAD. Chuck Kelley, 59, is an IT consultant who could also dig into the tech issues plaguing TAD. Kelley is finishing a term on the Colleyville City Council.
All would serve voters well, but Bryant’s broader experience makes him the best choice.
Early voting starts April 22; Election Day is May 4. Every registered Tarrant County voter can cast ballots for all three TAD seats.
If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff. Winners will serve through 2026; eventually, directors will be elected to staggered four-year terms.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHey, who is behind these endorsements?
Members of the Editorial Board, which serves as the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s institutional voice, decide candidates and positions to recommend to voters. The members of the board are: Cynthia M. Allen, columnist; Steve Coffman, editor and president; Bud Kennedy, columnist; and Ryan J. Rusak, opinion editor.
Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right.
How does the process work?
The Editorial Board interviews candidates, asking about positions on issues, experience and qualifications, and how they would approach holding the office for which they are running. Board members do additional research on candidates’ backgrounds and the issues at hand. After that, members discuss the candidates and generally aim to arrive at a consensus, though not necessarily unanimity. All members contribute observations and ideas, so the resulting editorials represent the board’s view, not a particular writer.
How do partisanship and ideology factor in?
We’re not tied to one party or the other, and our positions on issues range across the ideological spectrum. We tend to prefer candidates who align with our previously stated positions, but qualifications, temperament and experience are important, too.
This story was originally published April 13, 2024 at 5:32 AM.