McLennan Appraisal District seats up for new faces

Waco – Precinct 1 Commissioner Kelly Snell met with objections left and right on a proposal to invite new members to the Appraisal Board.

As it turns out, some members of the public aren't all that satisfied with seeing their property appraised at higher and higher rates while the tax rates stay the same.

The net result is simple enough. You get higher taxes, no matter if they raise taxes or lower them, make no changes, or roll them back.

“I've had some input from some individuals who would at least like to interview for the process,” said Commissioner Snell.

He proposed the McLennan County Commissioners' Court have candidates for nominations submit their resumes and show up at 9 a.m. on October 11 for an interview before the Court during one of the work sessions.

County Judge Jim Lewis, Commissioners Ben Perry, Joe Mashek, and Lester Gibson all made noises to the effect that people should be allowed to give or not give an interview, submit or not submit a resume, mix or match.

They might not have the time, said Judge Lewis. He named one member of the board who is an executive for a major telecommunications corporation, another whose business interests carry him all over the state of Texas on business.

Commissioner Gibson said he thinks people should be allowed to make their own decisions about their resume. Said Ben Perry, “Can we agree that it's not mandatory to submit a resume?”

The motion failed, but those who choose may show up on October 11 for an interview and perusal of their curriculum vitae.

After the court session, Mr. Snell peered over his desk and said, squint-eyed, “I was tea party before there was a Tea Party.”

Critics of the status quo, which sees election to the appraisal district board through a point system in which each taxing entity receives a number of points, have noted a certain tendency for members of the board to remain in position for many years and multiple terms, even though it's often described as “a thankless job.”

McLennan County's two representatives on the board control a total of 941 votes; the City of Waco, 970; Waco Independent School District, 1,033; Midway Independent School District, 849, and so forth, for a total of 4,319 votes.
As a result, the board is dominated by the representatives of the City of Waco, McLennan County, Midway and Waco school districts.

“I'd like to shake things up a little bit,” said Mr. Snell.

Then he grinned.