A
tale of two governments
McLennan
County, TX – Both the Commissioners Court and the Robinson City
Council were prepared on Tuesday to cast their ballots for the board
of McLennan County Appraisal District – popularly known as McAd.
 |
| McLennan County Commissioner Kelly Snell |
Both
deferred until a later time when members of the public became acutely
aware of the process by which the nominees are selected, how the
votes are apportioned among taxing entities of cities, school
districts, and the County Commissioners Court and how the biennial
rubber stamping process proceeds – the way it's been done for
decades upon decades.
All
of them use tax appraisal to write themselves checks, checks the
property owners are obliged to cash – or else face punitive tax
liens and litigation.
But
it came to a screeching halt on Tuesday when County Commissioner
Kelly Snell put his foot down for the second time in a subsequent
election cycle and demanded that people who would like to be
nominated for the job be vetted – in private because it's a
personnel matter.
Nevertheless,
two of the taxing entities did slow the process down for at least
long enough to talk it over – with a difference.
County
Commissioners make a big, fine salary – somewhere in the
neighborhood of a hundred grand a year.
City
Councilmen are unpaid.
The
unpaid city councilmen followed the salaried board's lead, and the
rest is history.
Click
here for the journalism of R.S. Gates, a social media activist who
has compiled a Facebook rundown on how the nomination and election
process is structured, and how it operates:
Legit journalists don't run around with hidden cameras/recording devices and get their kicks from threatening receptionists over records requests...... as for "social media activist", I think you meant to say "just another butthurt blogger"
ReplyDeleteWhen officials wont face you themselves, the receptionist is the only way to get your message delivered. Open records are the first thing tyranny wants to abolish. Threatening and letting someone know that you know the law and your rights are two different things. We often must be, 'insistent' or we will be denied what is rightfully ours to have.
DeleteIt always seems to be the corrupt ones that find fault with what I do here. I will say it plainly. If you bad mouth me in my community, it is because you are a drug dealing cop or in league with them.
Stephen C. Watson
Counting on doing something about it? We'll see. - The Legendary
ReplyDeleteEven though property tax can absolutely help states with income,the amount of property tax to be paid can be a determining factor in one's decision where to reside to achieve the American Dream of land or home ownership. Click For More Information
ReplyDeleteStephen,
ReplyDeleteThis is how the sheep cope. If they can convince themselves there are no problems and snipe with anonymous posts, they avoid any responsibility. They deserve nothing but pity. A receptionist can not be threatened. They have no responsibility under the public information act. There is a very good reason there has never been a prosecution under the criminal penalty provision of the act. Of the several complaints I have filed, the District Attorneys, without exception find no fault. When it gets to the AG it is a whole different story. I hope everyone either calls Kelly Snell or sends him an e-mail thanking him for going to the matt on this one. He had NO support but made the case so well his motion garnered unanimous approval.