The Tarrant Appraisal District board voted on December 1, 2025, to retain chief appraiser Joe Don Bobbitt despite a significant error that impacted the 2024 board election. Following a monthlong investigation, board members concluded that Bobbitt would not be dismissed, but would face three corrective actions aimed at preventing future mistakes.
The error in question involved the misallocation of voting power among the district’s taxing entities. Tarrant County College received approximately 505 votes, about 200 more than it was entitled to, which subsequently diminished the voting power of other entities, including Fort Worth and Tarrant County. Bobbitt, who is responsible for verifying these voting shares, admitted that the mistake occurred due to a copying error while distributing the voting power.
During a closed-door executive session, board chairman and tax assessor Rick Barnes stated that the findings from the investigation would be included in Bobbitt’s annual review, which coincidentally took place on the same day. Barnes noted that the responsibility for election integrity lies entirely with the chief appraiser, emphasizing, “100% of responsibility is for the chief appraiser, then 100% of responsibility lies with the chief appraiser for mistakes as well.”
Bobbit has not responded to requests for comments regarding the incident. The board’s review highlighted several areas where Bobbitt fell short: lacking adequate communication with directors and the public about the error, insufficient management of district staff to prevent such errors, and failing to prioritize critical matters effectively.
Moving forward, Bobbitt is required to promptly inform board members of serious appraisal district issues, enhance employee oversight and training, and ensure his direct involvement in all tax code matters.
Sayeda Syed, a Colleyville resident and current board nominee, was instrumental in bringing the error to light. She discovered the miscalculation while attending public meetings and later met with Barnes to discuss the implications. Syed expressed a desire for the appraisal district to issue a letter of apology to each taxing entity affected by the mistake and to adjust the official results of the 2024 election to reflect the correct voting shares.
The board’s primary responsibility is to select the chief appraiser, adopt the annual budget, and ensure compliance with legal policies. Board members do not appraise property directly and are not compensated for their service.
The error occurred when Bobbitt mistakenly copied the tax revenue figures of the Tarrant Hospital District—which has no voting power—next to those of Tarrant County College. This simple oversight resulted in a significant misrepresentation of voting power during the election, which ultimately saw Alan Blaylock, Wendy Burgess, Gloria Peña, Michael Alfred, and Fred Campos elected to the board.
In light of the situation, the board will convene in late December to fill Blaylock’s vacated seat after he announced his resignation to run for the Texas House. The upcoming election will allow the taxing entities to nominate candidates for this position.
As the Tarrant Appraisal District navigates the aftermath of this incident, the implications for accountability and transparency in local governance remain at the forefront of discussions among board members and the community.
