Residents irked by Bandera appraisals

That's about right. Mine have trippled in 2 years and for what? Better roads? NO. Better education for kids? What a joke! When I graduated HS in 1965 from a 3A school there was 1 principal, an assistant principal, 1 secretary and no computers and I recieved a good education. At least I could balance a checkbook. Just look at what we have today. Maybe when they repo. all of our property and we have no more money they can steal from us they will learn something, but I doubt it. We have to flush the political and educational toilet before the stench strangles us all.

Ed Barnes sets these appraisals like a kid. Every time something comes up he is going to get right on top of it.
He blames the state for forcing his hand but he enjoys it.
Look at the property the water district just purchased for some $200,00.00 with their special appraisal from a local on a property that is on the appraisal board books for $64,000.00.
Ed Barnes says the $200,000.00 figure is probably right since he hasn't re appraised that property in 6-8 years.
That is tax money Barnes lost the county while he is running wild everywhere else taxing people out of their property.
The Schools need to be throttled back and Barnes needs to be investigated.
The school spends more on coaches than teachers.
The bus routes are a joke, check the milage they run in a single day.
The County is not much better with their jail justice center but they are not the big hitters in taxes gobbled up, it is the school system.

I must admit that I am a semi-hermit living out in Tarpley and am not familar with this Barnes guy. Tell us more about him. What I am familar with is Road and Bridge. Whoever the top dog is he hasn't a clue about taking care of dirt roads. They come to "fix" the road when it doesn't need fixing and then when it does need work they don't know how to fix it. Just the other day they came out and laid two trucks of YELLOW caliche down on the access to Hondo Creek. After this little rain we just had my wife wrecked trying to drive up the access. They don't know the difference between road base and clay. Now it is almost undrivable. I could go on and on. As for the rest of your post you are exactly right. I posted something similar the other day. Our tax $ are going for nothing!! Something has to be done about school taxes. What's going to happen 20 years from now when no one can to afford to own land? I won't have to worry about it. I'll be dead. And maybe the US as well if things keep going as they are.

sailorman2 wrote:

I must admit that I am a semi-hermit living out in Tarpley and am not familar with this Barnes guy. Tell us more about him. What I am familar with is Road and Bridge. Whoever the top dog is he hasn't a clue about taking care of dirt roads. They come to "fix" the road when it doesn't need fixing and then when it does need work they don't know how to fix it. Just the other day they came out and laid two trucks of YELLOW caliche down on the access to Hondo Creek. After this little rain we just had my wife wrecked trying to drive up the access. They don't know the difference between road base and clay. Now it is almost undrivable. I could go on and on. As for the rest of your post you are exactly right. I posted something similar the other day. Our tax $ are going for nothing!! Something has to be done about school taxes. What's going to happen 20 years from now when no one can to afford to own land? I won't have to worry about it. I'll be dead. And maybe the US as well if things keep going as they are.

Ed Barnes is a snot nosed little guy who loves having authority.
He is a my way or the highway kind of guy with the power to appraise your property at what ever he feels like. Don't make the little $hat mad or he will forever do fly overs at your property to try to prove you have very expensive property.
An old Texas Ranger I met said just what you did, they are gonna raise taxes until they drive regular folks clean out of the county.
I am sorry I bought in this Gog forsaken county but I can't sell now, just got to tough it out.

Barnes is the chief appraiser, runs the show down at the appraisal office.

SHADOW wrote:

Barnes is the chief appraiser, runs the show down at the appraisal office.

Is that an elected office? If not who is his boss and are they elected?

This whole appraisal system seems to me to be all a big SNAFU. Not just in Bandera county but everywhere. I thought I heard or read somewhere that the state legislature were in the beginning stages of some kind of reform. I don't think I will hold my breath. The school system it self need to be reformed, everywhere. These admin. types only know one thing and that is how to spend money. WHAT DO ALL THESE SCHOOL ADMIN PEOPLE ACTUALLY DO? Ah Ha!!! I think I know what they do. They fill out the ranks of the Teachers Union. It's just a big scam. If the school superintendents of the state had any balls at all they would get rid of 75% of a given districts non teacher employees and have the coaches all teach at least one subject and if they can't screw em. Im sure there are some educated athletic coaches out there somewhere. As Confucius say "The rich get richer and the poor have kids". But I'll speak of that another day.

sailorman2 wrote:

<quoted text>Is that an elected office? If not who is his boss and are they elected?

These people are simply hired. Never have to face citizens they abuse in an election. That is where they get their go to hell if you don't like it attitude.

In Bandera the School system has been lying and taking hard earned money for years.
These people are virtually un touchable also.
It is the next best thing to organized crime ans they produce graduating students that can't read or write.
The ammount of money spent per student would put them all in a really good private school but then look at all the dead weight that would loose cushy jobs with the school system.

SHADOW wrote:

<quoted text>
These people are simply hired. Never have to face citizens they abuse in an election. That is where they get their go to hell if you don't like it attitude.

Who in the hell hires these crooks? There must be a top dog somewhere. Follow the money.

sailorman2 wrote:

<quoted text>Who in the hell hires these crooks? There must be a top dog somewhere. Follow the money.

Try Judge Evans for starters. He sits in the Commissioners Court and talks about he is only one vote on the court and then forces his ideas on the whole county.
Get rid of him and you get rid of 90% of the problem.

SHADOW wrote:

<quoted text>
Try Judge Evans for starters. He sits in the Commissioners Court and talks about he is only one vote on the court and then forces his ideas on the whole county.
Get rid of him and you get rid of 90% of the problem.

Isn't Evans mixed up in that Keri Schneider mess? Something about misapropriated funds or something similar? I know he is tied into something that isn't kosher but can't remember what. Anyway it sounds as if we have a bunch of steers with the commissioners and not a spine to be found. I wonder if an avalanche of letters to the editor on both rags would get any attention?

sailorman2 wrote:

<quoted text>Isn't Evans mixed up in that Keri Schneider mess? Something about misapropriated funds or something similar? I know he is tied into something that isn't kosher but can't remember what. Anyway it sounds as if we have a bunch of steers with the commissioners and not a spine to be found. I wonder if an avalanche of letters to the editor on both rags would get any attention?

There is one Commissioner, Bobby Harris who stronger than bear's breath. He is the one constantly quoted in the papers holding everyone's feet to the fire. He won't lie with the others in fact he has brought out so much they are afraid of him.
Keep in mind when writing letters it won't hurt to send them to both papers but the Courier is probably the only one with guts enough to print them. The Bulletin wants to help hide and avoid the scandal in that county.
Evans is the subject of Commission on Judicial Conduct complaint with the state.
Schneider is being sued in federal court for civil rights violations.
The Sheriff is being sued for civil rights violations as we..
We just live in a corrupt county thats all.

Well Hell. I'm gonna do something but haven't decided what yet. I'm getting old and can't afford much more of this.

Stay engaged and tell all your friends and neighbors what is going on.
Now the attorney for the fired deputies has filed an organized crime statute claim againt Sheriff Weldon Tucker, his brother Lt. Allen Tucker, chief deputy Don Burger and Bandera County.
If we all stand up together friend we can beat these people at their own game.
Watch the Water Board as well, they just bought a property for offices that was on the appraisal listing for $68,000.00 and we as taxpayers were forced to pay over $200,00.00 to the owner who just happens to be friends with one of the more outspoken directors.