The Tarrant County Commissioners Court has formally urged the board of directors at the Tarrant Appraisal District to replace its chief appraiser, unanimously voting no confidence in Jeff Law.
"For years, the Tarrant Appraisal District has careened from one scandal to another, from one bad headline to another bad headline. And our taxpayers in this county deserve better," Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare said during Tuesday's Commissioners Court meeting. "They deserve unrivaled transparency. They deserve outstanding customer service, and they deserve stability and consistency. Quite frankly, none of these currently apply to our Tarrant Appraisal District."
The most recent scandal involved Cal Wood, who had headed TAD's IT department, being caught on audio urging staffers to lie about issues with its newly-launched website.
"I'm okay with creating a false narrative that distances the truth from the media," Wood was captured on audio saying during a staff meeting.
Last Friday, Wood was fired.
O'Hare says that's the final straw, as far as he's concerned.
"The chief appraiser has been the common denominator throughout all of these issues and episodes, and it is time to hold him accountable," says O'Hare. "It is past time for a change."
The no-confidence vote was unanimous (Commissioner Manny Ramirez was absent from the meeting).
"He provides a profound lack of leadership to that organization," says Commissioner Roy Charles Brooks.
"The issues recently and over the years at TAD raise serious concerns about the chief appraiser's ability to serve our community effectively," says Commissioner Alisa Simmons. "A chief appraiser should prioritize fairness, accuracy and accountability in their role. Unfortunately, recent events have shown that these qualities are lacking in the current leadership."
KRLD has reached out to Law for reaction and has yet to hear back.
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