Texas voters could be able to choose their county’s chief appraiser if a bill recently filed in the Texas House becomes law. State Representative Bryan Slaton (R-Royse City) has filed HB 3171 to make the chief appraiser an elected position, requiring candidates seeking the job to chosen by voters of the county.
“With this bill, the people will be able to hold their chief appraiser accountable at the ballot box,” said Slaton. “For far too long, property owners across the state have seen rising property taxes with no end in sight. This bill will give voters a tool to help reign in runaway property taxes.”
The chief appraiser in Texas is currently appointed by the members of the appraisal district board, who in turn are selected by the various taxing entities within the county, such as the county commissioners court, city councils, and school boards. The chief appraiser runs the appraisal district offices and manages the employees working for the district.
Slaton’s bill would require the chief appraiser to be elected by the voters to four year terms during the general election, when turnout is usually highest.
Slaton describes himself as, “a strong conservative, a proud East Texan, a former pastor for 13 years, and a small business owner.” He was elected in 2020 as the State Representative for House District 2 in northeast Texas, composed of Hunt, Hopkins, and Van Zandt Counties.
Texas Citizen Journal 