Stop Six zoning; black crime; TAD woes; Cleveland security

Stop Six zoning

The board of directors of Historic Fort Worth Inc. is disappointed that the Stop Six local historic district overlay is being considered for removal (“Zoning changes sought for Fort Worth’s historic Stop Six neighborhood,” July 9).

This would not be happening if a survey by a professionally trained architectural historian had occurred before the district boundaries were initiated by the city council.

Removing the local historic district eliminates economic incentives for qualifying property owners to reinvest in their property.

These are the very same incentives that have fueled reinvestment in Fairmount and other historic districts throughout Fort Worth.

Preservation is economic development. From the first quarter of 2012 through the third quarter of 2015, Fort Worth has facilitated $48.79 million of private investment into individually designated buildings and buildings within historic districts.

Contrary to what is being said by the council representative for Stop Six, local historic districts are not a burden.

Local historic districts bring economic and social opportunities to communities because they protect the investments of property owners, grant tax abatements and enhance the marketability of every building within the district.

Furthermore, we know of no data that support the council representative’s opinion that economic revitalization occurs at a higher rate after a district is removed.

Black crime

In a 2012 study done by the University of Toledo, findings were that for every black person who was killed by police, 40 more were killed by other black men.

There is so much hate in our world today, but I believe that much of it is stoked by misinformation.

TAD woes

The Tarrant Appraisal District’s software woes and related lawsuits have been documented by the Star-Telegram.

My active-adult subdivision is suffering for TAD’s woes.

The 2016 appraised values per square foot range wildly from $23 to $192, although the 115 villas are homogenous in design and features.

The 82 villas that had a 2015 market value that included improvements had a mind-boggling, infarction-inducing 88.65 percent increase for 2016.

Warren Buffett missed out on an incredible investment return.

The Tarrant Appraisal Review Board told beleaguered community members who protested based on the vast discrepancies in appraised values that everything was based on market values.

Thus, they then fell prey to the 88.65 percent average one-year increase.

Many of the residents are single people living on fixed incomes.

The ginormous increases in their property tax bills may force them to move.

Tax Assessor-Collector Ron Wright has correctly espoused reducing tax rates.

However, no school district would do that, and that is the lion’s share of a property tax bill.

And it would take unheard of rate drops to make up for the catastrophic increases in market values.

Cleveland security

By sending our good Fort Worth horse and bike patrols to Cleveland to help with security at the Republican National Convention, Fort Worth is stepping into a big pile of trouble.

I have a feeling that we will wind up regretting doing so.

This story was originally published July 20, 2016 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Stop Six zoning; black crime; TAD woes; Cleveland security."