We endorse Hanna, Wang and Lavine for Travis Central Appraisal District board | Editorial
Saturday elections in May in Central Texas are often challenged by two formidable opponents – low voter turnout and lower voter interest. Those poor prospects loom again in the Saturday May 4 elections for three seats on the little-known Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) board.
The board might be obscure to some, but don't sleep on this important first-ever election. TCAD’s property appraisals are used to help determine property tax bills. These in turn allow local governments to set budgets for public services such as Austin schools. The three candidates who will be elected to the board will be entrusted to safeguard the fairness of the property appraisal system.
The American-Statesman Editorial Board recommends electing Jett Hanna, Shenghao 'Daniel' Wang and Dick Lavine to the TCAD board. They bring years of experience either in the property appraisal process or in public policy, and all are committed to fairness in the appraisal system. Each warns about the dangers of political manipulation in a process that should be strictly data-based.
Since 1979, all members of TCAD’s board of directors were appointed. Last year, however, Republican lawmakers advocating lower taxes passed Senate Bill 2, which requires three members of the current nine-member board to be elected.
Jett Hanna for Place 1
An attorney with a background in commercial real estate law, Hanna served on the appraisal district board from 1988 to 1990. He is a member of the Texas Supreme Court Professional Ethics Committee.
His opponent, former Austin City Council member Don Zimmerman, declined to speak to the Editorial Board.
Shenghao “Daniel” Wang for Place 2
A lawyer specializing in electricity regulation, Wang told the Editorial Board he prioritizes a fair-minded board of directors. Politicization, he said, could gravely harm schools and other government services funded by taxpayers.
Wang's opponents, Jonathan Craig Patschke, a software developer and treasurer of the Travis County Libertarian Party, and Matt Mackowiak, Travis County Republican Party Chairman and a Republican consultant, said they would keep politics out of the TCAD system.
Dick Lavine for Place 3
Lavine served on TCAD's board of directors for 22 years and worked in research at the Legislature for nearly three decades with the policy nonprofit Every Texan. He has a law degree and is a certified Chartered Financial Analyst.
His opponent, Bill May, who is retired from the construction business, did not return emails from the Statesman Editorial Board.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Our endorsements for Travis Central Appraisal District board
