Voter’s guide: Here is who’s running for Tarrant Appraisal Board in the May 4 election

Noah Alcala Bach
·5 min read

Place 1

Eric Morris

Age: 24

Campaign website: electericmorris.com

Occupation: Pharmacy Technician

Education: Associate of Arts, TCC. Currently at Texas A&M Commerce finishing Bachelor’s degree.

Have you run for elected office before?

Yes. I ran for Haltom City Council Place 6 in 2020 and ran for Haltom City Council Place 4 in 2022 and won.

Please list highlights of your civic involvement:

Currently serving on City Council for Haltom City. Amongst my proudest achievements on council was my leading involvement in securing the H Mart Grocery store and shopping center that is currently under construction. Before being on city council, I served on the Planning and Zoning Committee and Charter Review Committee for the city. I have also served as a community volunteer for a variety of events and local projects.

Who are your top three campaign contributors?

My top three campaign contributors are Stacy Reddy of Richland Hills, Mona Bailey of North Richland Hills, and Chris McDonald of Haltom City.

What are the top three issues in this race?

1. Be a taxpayer advocate prioritizing the needs of Tarrant County residents, not the taxing entities., 2. Go to a three year appraisal system instead of yearly.

Sayeda Bilqees Syed

Age: 44

Campaign website: www.syed4tad.com

Occupation: Engineer

Education: Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Have you run for elected office before?: No

Please list highlights of your civic involvement:

Tarrant Appraisal Review Board Member (2019 ~2021), Planning & Zoning Commission, City of Colleyville (2019 ~ Present), Capital Improvement Advisory Committee,City of Colleyville (2019 ~ Present), Metroport Teen Court advisory Board, City of Colleyville (2017~ Present), Architectural Review Commission,City of Colleyville (2018 ~ 2020), Zoning Board of Adjustment, City of Colleyville (2018 ~ 2019), Sign Board of Appeals,City of Colleyville (2018~ 2019),

Who are your top three campaign contributors?

Nuzhat Syed, Sam Mahrouq, Ntishyt Patel,

What are the top three issues in this race?

  • Comprehensive Appraisal Reform

  • Property owners/ TAX payers involvement and representation.

  • IT and Cyber Security issues

  • Transparency and Accountability

  • Employee Retention

Trae Fowler

Trae Fowler did not respond to the Star-Telegram’s questionaire.

Place 2

Eric B. Crile

Age: 46

Website: www.facebook.com/CrileforTAD

Occupation: Firefighter

Education: B.A. from University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg

Please list highlights of your civic involvement:

I served on my homeowners association board of directors. Currently on an advisory board for Fort Worth. CCPD Partners with a Shared Mission.

Who are your top three campaign contributors?

As of today, I have none. I self funded the $400 fee for the application for the place on the ballot, but i have received no outside money.

What are the top three issues in this race?

1: Software. The district needs new valuation software and cybersecurity software is also paramount.

2: Culture change and transparency. TAD needs to continue to change the culture from the previous administration. Transparency in how TAD is arriving at property values and making the same tools available to the public as are available to TAD district appraisers.

3: Educational outreach. Specifically with regards to exemptions. The application and removal of exemptions falls squarely within TAD’s responsibilities. TAD needs to partner with the taxing entities and get the information out to the property owners. There are too many homeowners that do not know about exemptions available to them, and these exemptions can go a long way in reducing one’s property tax burden.

Callie Rigney

Callie Rigney did not respond to the Star-Telegram’s questionaire.

Place 3

Matt Bryant

Age: 53

Campaign website: electmattbryant.com

Occupation: Real estate investor

Education:Texas A&M Mechanical Engineering 1992

Have you run for elected office before?

Carroll ISD School Board Trustee 2018-2021

Please list highlights of your civic involvement:

CISD Trustee, YoungLife Board Member, Youth Sunday School Teacher, CISD Art Docent

Who are your top three campaign contributors?

Travis Haskin, Kelly Marcontell, Randy Chappel

What are the top three issues in this race?

  • Need taxpayer advocates on the TAD Board of Directors.

  • TAD needs reform.

  • TAD must restore the public’s trust.

Lee Henderson

Age: 46

Campaign website: https://leehenderson.org

Occupation: Public Policy and Advocacy Strategist

Education: University of Texas at Dallas, BS, Computer Science; SMU Caruth Institute, Graduate Certificate Program in Entrepreneurship

Have you run for elected office before?

I have run for Fort Worth city council twice, both times when it was an open seat in district 7.

Please list highlights of your civic involvement:

I was raised in Fort Worth - Tarrant County. My mother was a FWISD public school teacher & father was a physicist & engineer at Lockheed. I am a Fort Worth resident & a father of two daughters. I’m a former Software Engineer, former Chief Financial Officer in high-tech telecom, and current Public Policy & Advocacy Strategist for a national organization. I’m also an active community volunteer and currently serve on my local City Plan Commission where I’m a watchdog against undesirable land use. I have served on various local and state non-profit organization boards, one with a budget of over $8 million. I am an original founding member of SteerFW - an organization spearheaded by the Fort Worth Mayor’s office in 2011 to push Civic Engagement and Public Policy Study, and as of last year, I co-founded SteerFW Legacy for alumni. I am also an original volunteer for the Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival, now in its 10th anniversary, where I currently volunteer as the Director of Volunteering.

Who are your top three campaign contributors?

Myself, Sabrina Ball, Elizabeth Parmer

What are the top three issues in this race?

Fairness. Equity. Transparent. This is what is missing from the culture of the Tarrant Appraisal District. I will be the Tarrant Taxpayers’ Appraisal Watchdog. We should be working towards a goal of an appraisal process that approaches zero protests. A recent objective study by the Realtors ranks TAD as the WORST urban appraisal district. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel to achieve being in the top rankings in the next study - the board MUST take on a responsibility to survey the best practices from other CADs and require those practices be implemented at TAD. The Board MUST require TAD to contract for up-to-date technology & cybersecurity. The Board MUST require that TAD is transparent in its formulations & data used for each appraisal AND make the same open to inspection. The Board MUST require that TAD staff cease any intimidation tactics that have become the regular order - too many taxpayers have told me of their experiences of attempting to protest.