Tarrant Appraisal District stands by Chief Appraiser Jeff Law

Fort Worth, Texas - In response to extensive scrutiny from elected officials and property owners, Jeff Law, Chief Appraiser for the Tarrant Appraisal District (TAD), received an affirmative vote from the district's board of directors on Friday. This decision marks a significant change in the leadership structure of the district.

Throughout his tenure, Law has established improved communication with both the local community and board members. These enhancements played a pivotal role in the directors' unanimous decision to retain him. This move not only reflects confidence in Law's abilities but also stabilizes the district's top leadership.

The district had previously faced challenges, particularly with the removal of former board chair Kathryn Wilemon in March. This decision, influenced by concerns regarding transparency in the district's operations, led to Tony Pompa stepping in as the new board chair.

However, Law's position did not come without reservations. After a close 3-2 vote in his favor, Law acknowledged the need to further gain the trust of the board. Rich DeOtte, a board member, voiced his concerns, which arise from instances where he felt Law might not have represented certain taxpayers appropriately.

“It’s our goal to communicate with the taxpayers, the tax entities, all the stakeholders, all the things regarding property taxes,” Law commented, as covered by CBS News Texas. He also emphasized his intent to educate the public about the appraisal process.

Pompa, reflecting on his predecessor Wilemon, noted that recent efforts to reduce property taxes have somewhat eased the pressures on Law and the district. Yet, Law and TAD faced criticism this spring due to issues with their website relaunch, which couldn't handle a spike in user traffic when new valuations were released.

Further, last year, Law and another senior official were briefly suspended without pay over their response to complaints related to realtor Chandler Crouch, who has been pivotal in assisting property owners file annual protests at no cost.

In April, the board provided Law with specific directives, emphasizing the importance of mending the district's image, fostering a culture of non-retaliation, and ensuring transparent communication with the public.

During Friday's meeting, Law disclosed the 2023 property values, indicating a 13% rise from the previous year for residential properties in Tarrant County, totaling a market value of $391 billion.

This year, approximately 214,000 homeowners, nearly a third of the total, disputed their property valuations. Due to technical issues with the website, TAD extended the protest filing deadline, with over half of these protests submitted online.

In a broader context, recent data suggests that North Texas is seeing a rise in new residents, influencing the local housing market. Donna Van Ness, head of Housing Channel Fort Worth, remarked on the affordable housing challenges in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. Another report highlighted Dallas as one of four US cities witnessing a significant increase in housing prices.

Credit: CBS News Texas, Dallas Metro News