Travis Appraisal Board Structure Debate
- Austin City leaders convened a special meeting to address the structure and appointments for the Travis County Appraisal District Board.
- The city disputed recent attempts by other taxing entities to expand the Appraisal District Board from five to eight members and change its director selection method, citing concerns about their validity.
- To ensure representation amid the dispute over its legal size, Austin nominated candidates for both a five-member board (their preferred interpretation) and, alternatively, an eight-member board.
Full Transcript
=C1TY OF AUSTIN. TEXAS MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS Special Called Council Meeting October 12, 1979 11:30 A.M. Mayor's Office 124 W. 8th Street The meeting was called to order with Mayor McClellan presiding. Roll Call: Present: Mayor McClellan, Councilmember Goodman, Mayor Pro Tern Himmelblau, Councilmembers Mullen, Snell, Trevino Absent: Councilmember Cooke Mayor McClellan opened the meeting scheduled for 11:30 A.M., stating that this was a Special Called Meeting of the City Council for the purpose of publicly announcing that it will convene in a closed or executive session authorized by Section 2, Paragraphs (e), (f) and (g) of Article 6252-17, Texas Revised Civil Statutes Annotated; and after such closed or executive session any final action, decision or vote with regard to any matter considered in the closed or executive session would be made in open session, should such action, decision or vote be necessary. Mayor McClellan announced that the Council would go into executive session at this time to consider the items authorized in Section 2, Paragraphs (e), (f) and (g) of Article 6252-17, Texas Revised Civil Statutes Annotated. OPEN SESSION 12:00 Noon The Mayor reconvened the Council in open session, noting that Councilman Cooke was absent but was listening on the conference telephone. She reviewed the resolution before the Council in that the Property Tax Code of the State of Texas established an appraisal district for each county; the City of Austin had chosen to be a part of the Travis County Appraisal District, to be governed by a board of five directors to be appointed by vote of the governing bodies of the taxing entities; the voting procedures being set out in the re- solution; providing that each taxing unit may nominate by resolution one candidate for each position and submit to County Clerk by October 15th. October 12, 1980 =CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS = The Property Tax Code provides that three-fourths of the taxing units may change the number of members of the Board or. may change the method of selecting members of the Board of Directors. Three-fourths of the taxing units have adopted resolutions purporting to increase the number from five to eight and purport- ing to change the method of selecting members. The City of Austin is of the opinion that the resolutions are invalid and do not effectuate the changes purported to be adopted or are valid and effective only to the extent that they in- crease the number from five to eight. After a short discussion, Councilmember Mullen moved that the Council adopt a resolution nominating the following five persons for the position of Board of Directors of the Appraisal District of Travis County: 1. Les Gage 2. Gus Garcia 3. Bill Mil stead 4. Ada Anderson 5. Charles Goodnight And in the alternative, nominated the following eight persons for the posttion of board members of the Appraisal District of Travis County: 1. Les Gage 2. Gus Garcia 3. Bill Mil stead 4. Ada Anderson 5. Charlie Goodnight 6. Bob Phinney 7. William Shropshire 8. James Koch The motion, seconded by Councilmember Goodman, carried by the following vote: Ayes: Mayor McClellan, Councilmember Goodman, Mayor Pro Tern Himmelblau, Councilmembers Mullen, Snell, Trevino Noes: None Absent: Councilmember Cooke ADJOURNMENT Council adjourned its meeting at 12:20 P.M. =CITY OF AUSTIN. TEXAS 1 ? 1 979 APPROVED, layor ATTEST: City Clerk