Volume 4, Issue 3 In God We Trust March 1, 2017
In This Issue:
Motor Vehicle News .......... 4 Property Tax News ............ 5 A Look Back ...................... 6 What’s Been Happening .... 9 KAB ................................... 11 Contact Information and Map of Locations ............... 12
March Dates to Remember: Special Inventory Tax
Due………….………..…..10
Cesar Chavez Day………..27 (all Tarrant County Offices are closed)
Ron Wright
The Wright Stuff
I used to marvel that all three of
my children made it to adulthood,
and nobody was killed or maimed
in the process. I now marvel at
how incredibly intelligent, talent-
ed, and beautiful all six of my
grandchildren truly are. What per-
plexes me is how perplexing my
grown children seem to think child
rearing really is. The problem, I
am convinced, is the adults in the
relationship because the children
are perfect. This, I have discov-
ered from talking to other grand-
parents, is a widespread phenome-
non. It seems that most grandchil-
dren in the world, like mine, are
simply misunderstood by their par-
ents.
I knew when my first grand-
daughter (I have five) was born
that new rules would have to be
adopted, and I settled on the per-
fect one: The only rule at Dad-
dad’s house is there are no rules at
Dad-dad’s house. That was 15
years ago. Nobody has been hos-
pitalized as a result of this rule, and
judging from the stress and frustra-
tion it creates for the parents, it’s
working quite well. Yes, children
and their grandparents have a com-
mon enemy.
Adoption of this
rule, although we
didn’t realize it
would produce
such unanticipated
benefits, has made
Why I’m Smiling
Continued on Page 2
Southwest Office Move
Southwest Branch is CLOSED beginning at noon on March 22, will reopen at 8 am on March 28 at new location:
Hulen Bend 6080 S. Hulen St., Suite 430
Fort Worth TX 76132
Volume 4, Issue 3 Taxing News March 1, 2017
2
The Wright Stuff, Continued grocery shopping much easier. We simply keep
bags of Halloween candy in the pantry year-round.
And soft drinks. And pastries. And, of course, ice
cream. My two-year-old grandson, the youngest of
the grands, knows exactly where in the freezer we
keep the snack-size cups of Blue Bell (told you he
was smart!), but he still requires help from his four-
year-old sister to open the door. He is almost big
and strong enough to do it by himself. We can
hardly wait. At my house, opening the freezer and
grabbing the ice cream without assistance is an
achievement celebrated
like successful potty train-
ing at their parents’ house.
We do our part to edu-
cate the young ones, of
course, and we encourage
them to try new things, like
different types of choco-
late. It’s like donuts. Who
knew there were so many
varieties? Just from spend-
ing time with us, they
learned that dark chocolate
is healthier. They also learned that they don’t have
to worry about it until they’re 40. Eat up.
Planning meals is now as easy as driving through
McDonalds, and yes, there is one close to my house.
That’s why we bought in that neighborhood. Pity
the poor grandparents who didn’t plan ahead and
move near one when grandchildren started being
born. On the other hand, there are other solutions to
child hunger that work just as well without taxing
mind and body. There is a direct correlation, for
example, between the need to actually cook some-
thing and the number of cookies in the house.
Bedtime at eight? Are you crazy? Why do the
parents torture them with these ridiculous sched-
ules? I didn’t torture them that way when they were
children. My daughter used to tell us over breakfast
what the Johnny Carson monologue was the night
before. By 8 o’clock we are just starting the second
or third movie. The education continues. The
grandchildren learned from me early on that fairy
tales are fairy tales. Nothing about them is real.
Better that they be prepared for life in the real
world. That’s why we show them gritty action
movies. Life is gritty, and people should be active.
The new Magnificent Seven? It’s a simple morality
play involving people
who don’t bathe and were
misunderstood by their
parents. Stop crying.
Yes, guns are loud. Get
over it. Here, have some
more popcorn.
My only regret about
the grandchildren is I did-
n’t invest heavily in sugar
plantations when the first
one was born. I would be
rich today. It is my re-
sponsibility – no, it is my mission – as a grandpar-
ent to give them all the sweets they can hold with-
out throwing up in the house, although throwing up
in their parent’s car on the way home would be fine.
If the grandchildren are glassy eyed and trembling
from all the Cokes they drank when their parents
pick them up, I know I have done my job.
So, if you see me smiling when I walk the halls
of the office it’s probably because I love my job.
But it may be because I know that in the long, bruis-
ing psychological warfare between parents and
grandparents for the hearts and minds of the grand-
children, I have beaten them once again.
Ron Wright
DadDad and Annabel
3
Motor Vehicle Titles
Processed
40,209 Property Tax
Accounts Paid
72,933
Property Tax Amount
Collected
$314,134,539
Motor Vehicle Registrations
Processed
124,268
Tax Office Stats
for
February 2017 Phone Calls
Received
18,470
This month’s question: Where was the last battle of the American Civil War fought?
Email your answer to [email protected]
Newsletter Noncents
DID YOU KNOW? You can request Ron Wright to speak to your group by emailing
[email protected]. Be sure to include the name and date of the event along with your
contact information.
Our Vision:
We are a professional team of positive and dedicated individuals who serve with integrity, tenacity, and compassion in an innovative and inclusive environment.
Mission Statement
We will serve the citizens of Tarrant County with pride, courtesy, respect, and determination.
We will achieve excellence in what we do by providing accurate, efficient, and timely service consistent with the
laws of the State of Texas and the highest ethical standard.
Staff Development Day
May 10, 2017
All Tax Office branches will be closed for a day of
skill building, training, and inspiration.
DON’T MISS IT!
Volume 4, Issue 3 Taxing News March 1, 2017
4
Amber Wilson TxDMV Regional Service Center Manager
Motor Vehicle News
Dorothy Starr, MV Director
We are more than half way through the Tex-
as Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) com-
puter equipment replacement “refresh” program.
When you come into the Tax Office to perform a
motor vehicle transaction the computer we work on
belongs to TxDMV. It is a requirement of TxDMV
that equipment be updated and replaced on a 4 to 5
year cycle. The project requires the sys-
tem to be taken down while the equip-
ment is replaced and updated. Our office
was notified that the project would begin
in December. TxDMV was open to us
waiting to start until February so we
could start after the busy property tax
season. To avoid our customers being
inconvenienced by closing of offices for
the refresh we elected to work on Satur-
days to get this project completed.
As of February 27 we have com-
pleted the Southlake, Southwest, Arling-
ton, Downtown and Northeast offices.
Out of 157 computers and printers we
only have 37 to go!! We will complete
Mansfield and Poly on March 4th and
Northwest on March 11.
I was here way back in 1995 when the first
Registration and Titling System (RTS) computers
were installed. Now in 2017 we are working on our
4th refresh of new equipment. Looking back over
all of these equipment installs this one by far has
been the best. TxDMV has really organized the
whole process. They were open to changing all of
our install dates to Saturdays.
Excellent communication re-
garding dates of shipments,
installation and old equipment
pick up. A booklet outlining
each step of the way along
with contact information was
provided.
Icing on the cake has
been Amber Wilson, manager
of our local TxDMV Regional
Service Center. Either she or
members of her staff have
been at each of our locations
during the installs. She has
been 100% committed to our
needs and has fixed any small
problem we might have had.
2017 TxDMV Registration and Titling System Equipment Refresh
REMINDER TO INSPECT THEN RENEW:
Vehicles which do not receive a commercial inspection: Registration permitted if a passing vehicle
inspection occurs in the 90 days (3 months) prior to the month vehicle’s registration sticker expires.
5
Property Tax News
Elisa Hand, PT Director
Quarter Payments for Homeowners
Who are Disabled or Over 65 Years of Age
For many years property owners who have a Disabled Homestead Exemption or an Over-65 Home-
stead Exemption on their property have been able to pay their property taxes in four equal installments.
The next deadline is at the end of this month!
First payment of ¼ of the total amount due must have been paid on or before January 31
The remaining three payments will not incur penalty and interest if they are made on time as follows:
Second payment to be paid on or before March 31
Third payment to be paid on or before May 31
Fourth payment to be paid on or before July 31
For more information on Disabled and Over-65 Homestead Exemptions, as well as other exemptions
you may qualify for, contact Tarrant Appraisal District at 817-284-4063.
Volume 4, Issue 3 Taxing News March 1, 2017
6
A Look Back….. By Ron Wright
Bullets Fly in the Courthouse
When county Facilities Direc-
tor David Phillips stood in a
meeting of Commissioners
Court in 2011 to give an update
on the repair and restoration of
the clock tower of the historic
county courthouse, the twinkle
in his eye and wry grin did not
go unnoticed. He had just
reported that the holes in the
century-old copper cladding, a
piece of which he had brought to
the meeting, were in fact bullet
holes.
County employees found the
news of bullet holes in the
copper dome of the courthouse
to be more humorous than
surprising. Part of the joy of
living in Tarrant County is the
rather devious pride we take in
our county’s wild and wooly
past. The first Anglo settlement
in the county, Bird’s Fort in
present-day Arlington, was a
frontier fort built by Rangers.
The county seat, Fort Worth, had
also begun as a military fort.
The county had been home to its
share of Indian battles and raids.
Cattle drives had gone right
through Fort Worth, bringing a
swarm of thirsty cowboys and
ruffians to the town’s saloons.
Brothels and gambling houses
had thrived within walking
distance of the courthouse.
Outlaws had found shelter here,
and there were numerous gun-
fights and other assorted shoot-
ings throughout the county for
much of its history. Tragically,
some occurred in the county
courthouse and courtrooms in
other buildings in just the last 35
years.
In one six year period, from
1986 to 1992, four instances of
armed conflict occurred in or
near courtrooms, prompting the
installation of the security
measures we have today. Three
resulted in shooting deaths. In a
fourth instance an accused felon
held a loaded gun to a judge’s
head, but didn’t fire. The most
famous shootings were in the
county courthouse.
In 1989 bail bondsman
Manny Cabano took his girl-
friend, Juanita Hermosillo, a
county court-at-law clerk,
hostage for several hours inside
the courthouse. The standoff
ended when Cabano shot and
killed Hermosillo and then
himself. The county sheriff at
the time, Don Carpenter, was
widely criticized for not relin-
quishing operational control to
professional hostage negotiators
from the Fort Worth Police
Dept. According to subsequent
reports, Carpenter was casually
heating a plate of fried chicken
in an office down the hall when
the fatal shots rang out. Before
he completed his term in office
the sheriff was forced to step
down after twice being indicted
by separate grand juries for
offenses unrelated to the shoot-
ing.
In 1992, the most famous
courthouse shooting of all
occurred when former lawyer
George Lott opened fire in the
fourth floor courtroom being
used by the 2nd Court of Ap-
peals. Upset with a family court
verdict that had gone against
him in his divorce and child
custody proceeding, Lott later
said he shot people that day to
draw attention to the inequities
and failures of the judicial
Source: http://home.earthlink.net/~numeraire/Loopholes/loopholesprotectlawyers.htm
7
A Look Back, cont... system. When he finally
stopped shooting, two lawyers,
including Chief of the Appellate
Division for the Tarrant County
D.A.’s office, Chris Marshall,
and Dallas lawyer John Edwards
lay dead. Two Justices, John
Hill and Clyde Ashworth, and a
third lawyer, Steve Conder, were
also shot, but survived their
wounds. In a show of sheer cold
bloodedness, Lott had pursued
Edwards out of the courtroom
and shot him repeatedly on the
stairwell between the second and
third floors. Lott then drove to
Dallas and turned himself in at a
TV studio.
Realizing the huge emotional
impact the shooting had on the
people of Tarrant County, and
determined that Lott would have
a fair trial, the state district judge
chosen to preside over the case
ordered a change of venue to
Potter County where she had
grown up. Lott was tried in
Amarillo, found guilty, and
executed for his crimes in 1994
in Huntsville. The judge who
presided over the trial was
Sharen Wilson, now the Crimi-
nal District Attorney for Tarrant
County.
Not all courthouse shootings
ended so tragically. One was
even considered comical – after
it was over. Part of what was
comical was the shooter herself
and the absolutely unflappable
response of the judge she tried to
shoot.
Mary Rea, a slightly un-
hinged woman, was no stranger
to the 17th District Court or to
Judge James Swayne, one of the
most respected judges in county
history. She had been a defend-
ant in lawsuits in his court and
had become increasingly angry
with his rulings and openly
hostile to him personally. Still
angry with Swayne over a
previous case, she had all she
could stand when he ruled
against her again in a family
dispute in 1914. Swayne sought
to explain his ruling, not from
his bench, but casually sitting at
eye level in the jury box when
Rea pulled out a handgun and
began firing in his general
direction. One bullet hit the wall
just above his head.
Author Richard Selcer de-
scribed the scene in his book,
Fort Worth Characters,
“She managed to empty the
pistol before her lawyer could
wrestle her out of the courtroom.
Fortunately, all of the shots went
into the wall or ceiling, but
Swayne demonstrated nerves of
steel during the melee. He kept
his seat, not even flinching as the
bullets flew. The next time
Swayne saw Mary Rea was
when he was called as a material
witness at her trial for attempted
murder. She was found guilty,
but served no time and, insofar
as the record shows, never
bothered Swayne again.”
Rea was as strong as she was
feisty. According to other
reports, the wrestling match
between her and her lawyer
extended all the way to the
rotunda where sheriff’s deputies
helped the lawyer subdue his
screaming, clawing client, much
to the amusement of bystanders
in the courthouse.
James W. Swayne
Source: Written in Blood Vol. 1, by Richard F. Selcer and Kevin Foster
Volume 4, Issue 3 Taxing News March 1, 2017
8
The Fundraising and
Charitable Employees (FACE) Committee, also
known as “The FACE of the Tax Office,” has
selected Hope Center for Autism as this year’s
fundraiser. Tax Office employees have several
opportunities to support the FACE fundraisers
throughout the year. Fundraisers scheduled this
year include paying to wear jeans and tennis shoes,
popcorn sales, and a 50/50 drawing at the end of the
year. Additional fundraisers could be added through
the year.
Members of the committee include Mark Butler,
Chair; Charlotte Tackett, Secretary/Treasurer;
Shonda Johnson, Cierra Hernandez, Sonia Reyes,
Denise Lindsey, Alicia Herrera and Beckie
Fernandez. The committee meets at least twice
annually to discuss business.
Last year, the FACE Committee presented a
check to the 2016 fundraiser Safe Haven of Tarrant
County. Barb Reese, In Kind Donations
Coordinator, accepted a $7000 donation on behalf of
Safe Haven. Once again, our 2017 goal is $5000.
We hope to meet or exceed our goal. Contact our
FACE committee members if you would like more
information on how you can help, or contact Hope
Center for Autism directly. We look forward to
presenting a donation to Hope Center for Autism on
behalf of Tax Office employees in December 2017.
Barb Reese, center, accepts $7,000 donation from
Tarrant County Tax Office FACE committee in December.
F.A.C.E. Committee Selects Hope Center for Autism
The mission of the Hope
Center for Autism is to
enable children on the
autism spectrum and their
families to live more fully
functional lives.
People with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASDs)
have serious impairments of social, emotional, and
communication skills. Autistic disorders cover a
broad spectrum; ranging from verbal to non-verbal,
from the affectionate to the emotionally distant,
from the methodical to the disorganized, and from
the gifted to the severely challenged. ASD occurs
in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups and
is four times more likely to occur in boys than girls.
The Hope Center for Autism believes that
autism is a recoverable disorder, with intense early
intervention being vital to the recovery process.
They also believe that in order to successfully teach
a child within a group setting, such as a school
classroom, you must first teach them how to be part
of a group.
They consider troubles a joy, because troubles
produce patience; patience produces character; and
character produces hope.
Source: http://www.hopecenter4autism.org/about/
9
Above: Tyler Reainthong, IT Support Specialist who
supports tax office operations, won the ITD Peak
Performance Award for “exceptional” performance. Janie
Zhao, ITD Manager who nominated Tyler, stated that “He is
very responsive and always delivers exceptional quality.”
What’s Been Happening...
The blue comment cards are an important tool for
letting your Tax Assessor-Collector, Ron Wright,
know how we are doing in all of the offices.
Please complete a card at your next visit. The
office with the highest percentage of positive
comment cards each quarter wins the coveted
Customer Service banner to display in their office
for the next quarter!
Above: Members of the Property Tax Research/Assessment team
celebrated Fat Tuesday in style! Richard, Joe, Kirby, Maggie and
Shonda are behind those colorful masks!
Below: Employees are getting ready to embark on a tour of
the 1985 Courthouse on February 24. Ron Wright led the
tour. Pictured here with Wright are, left to right, bottom to
top: Nguyen Quyen, Vanneary Glenn, Kim Jayme, Erika
Fitchett, Kayla Justice, Gabriela Calderon, and San Juana
Ortiz.
If you would like to participate in the next tour, email
Volume 4, Issue 3 Taxing News March 1, 2017
10
New Employees
Michelle Biondo-Nava Motor Vehicle
Specialist
Justin Bowles Part Time Motor Vehicle
What’s Been Happening...
Above: In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, mem-
bers of the Collections Group show their love.
Pictured here are, left to right, Amelia, Sandra,
Beckie, Annette, Samantha, and Mandi. They
are known for showing the love everyday as
they help taxpayers across the county with
online, face to face, and mailed in payments.
Kayla Justice Customer Service Rep.
San Juana Ortiz Motor Vehicle
Specialist
Gabriela Calderon Motor Vehicle
Specialist
Moving Up!
Elvia Martinez was
recently promoted to
Customer Service
Supervisor after working
as a Customer Service
Representative for the
past 3 years. She and her husband recently
welcomed home baby Mia. Martinez has a
Bachelor’s Degree in Government and has
previously worked in lead customer service
positions before coming to the Tax Office.
Congratulations Elvia!
11
These employees to be honored in Commissioners Court in March for their years of service:
Gina Kay Mashai………….20 years Juana Garnett…………......10 years Mary Red Eagle………….10 years Stefani Flores………….…..5 years Carina Hernandez………...5 years
Duncan Hughes…………...5 years
Elizabeth Weaver .............. 1
Yessica Osornia ................. 3
Mackenzie Hein ................ 3
Nicole Davis ...................... 3
Donna Williams ................ 4
Kirby Tibbit ....................... 5
Angel Rodriguez ............... 6
Janice O’Neal .................... 7
Kelly Starks ...................... 10
Bradley Mena ................... 13
Cassandra Lester ............... 15
Sherry Adcock .................. 15
Tina Horton....................... 19
Janice Davis ...................... 19
Mandi Chance ................... 21
Elvira Simpson ................. 22
Donita Tilley .................... 22
Nancy Box ......................... 23
Cristina Gallagher ............. 23
Leticia Garcia .................... 24
Enrique Castaneda ............. 24
Twyonia Taylor ................. 27
Dorothy Starr ..................... 29
Elvia Martinez ................... 29
Customer
service is not
a
department,
it’s
everyone’s
job.
Melissa, DT PT: “Thanks for understanding and kindness…”
Jayne, DT MV: “She was patient and exceptional!”
Crystal, SW: “...polite, happy and very helpful.”
Estella, Southlake: “...amazing and very helpful. Super sweet lady.”
Sonia, NW: “...very helpful...she was patient and very sweet and helpful.”
Trylisha, NE: “Fast, friendly and informative! Nicest lady ever!”
Volume 4, Issue 3 Taxing News March 1, 2017
12
Main Office Building
100 East Weatherford St.
Fort Worth, TX 76196
Phone: 817-884-1100
Arlington
700 E. Abram St.
Arlington, TX 76010
Phone: 817-548-3935
Mansfield
1100 E. Broad St.
Mansfield, TX 76063
Phone: 817-473-5127
Northeast
645 E. Grapevine Highway
Hurst, TX 76054
Phone: 817-581-3635
Northwest
6713 Telephone Rd. Rm. 101
Lake Worth, TX 76135
Phone: 817-238-4435
Poly
3212 Miller Ave.
Fort Worth, TX 76105
Phone: 817-531-5635
Southlake
1400 Main St. Suite 110
Southlake TX 76092
Phone: 817-481-8141
Southwest (beg. 3/28/17)
6080 S. Hulen Street, Ste 430
Fort Worth, TX 76132
Phone: 817-370-4535
Tarrant County
Tax Office Locations
Hours: Monday—Friday
8:00 am—5:00 pm
CONTACT US
817-884-1100
Email Property Tax Department
at:
Email Motor Vehicle
Department at:
Questions about the newsletter may
be directed to
Vickie Doane at
Email [email protected] to subscribe to our monthly newsletter distribution list.
Visit our website at:
www.tarrantcounty.com
Registration renewals may be
purchased at AAA at Alliance and your
local Fiesta, Kroger, and Tom Thumb
stores in Bedford, Hurst, Keller, Mansfield,
Southlake, Arlington, Grapevine, and Fort
Worth.
Check our website for a list of locations
at www.tarrantcounty.com.
Be sure to bring your renewal notice,
proof of insurance, proof of vehicle
inspection and an acceptable form of ID
such as a Texas Driver’s License or ID
card.
Watch for update to map in April issue showing the new Southwest branch temporary location.
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