The Basics
Thank you for your support! We successfully defended Travis County public schools from a backdoor defunding by right-wing Republicans.
An effective TCAD is critical to funding schools, parks, libraries, roads, public safety, and every other local government service.
The Stakes
Ensure Fair and Accurate Property Tax Appraisals
The May 4th TCAD election is the most important election you’ve never heard of. What’s it about? Funding local public services and treating all taxpayers fairly.
Shenghao “Daniel” Wang recognizes that the sole mission of the Travis Central Appraisal District’s (TCAD) is to set fair and accurate property values throughout Travis County, as required by the Texas Constitution.
Every county has an Appraisal District that acts like the scales at HEB - it doesn’t set prices, it just tells you how much stuff you have. Appraisal Districts appraise property values (measuring the weight) while local taxing authorities like cities, counties, and school districts set property tax rates (setting the price).
Property appraisal must be kept separate from the political considerations that school boards, city councils and county commissioners weigh in setting the tax rate applied to property values.
If an Appraisal District does its job properly, you’ll barely notice them. But if they don’t do their job efficiently, local government budgets get upended, threatening public services like schools, roads, libraries, and public safety.
Strengthen Taxpayer Protection
Property owners can protest the appraisal set by TCAD through appeals to the Appraisal Review Board (ARB) – citizens appointed by the Board of Directors to impartially weigh evidence brought by the taxpayer disputing their valuation. In choosing members of the ARB, directors should look for fair-minded people who can listen to both sides and accurately apply the rules governing valuation. Appraisals are controlled by professional standards, state law and oversight by the state comptroller. The ARB has no role in setting tax rates.
Guarantee efficient use of taxpayer dollars
The Board of Directors is responsible for hiring the chief appraiser and approving the district’s budget. Daniel will ensure that TCAD carries out its mission as efficiently as possible, minimizing the cost to taxpayers of supporting its operation.
Meet Daniel
Shenghao “Daniel” Wang arrived in Austin when he was just 1 year old and has called Austin home ever since. It's where he grew up, went to school, and started his career. Growing up in a first-generation household, he learned the value of hard work from his parents, who worked their way from an apartment with no furniture to owning their own home. Daniel also learned the value of public service from his mother, who has spent her whole career in the public sector.
Daniel initially pursued a career in academia. He graduated from LASA High School, then majored in math at MIT. He had no interest in politics until he realized that scientists and engineers have already created the tools to improve society, but politicians and special interests keep getting in the way. That’s why Daniel decided to switch paths and address the real roadblocks to a better society. So, he enrolled at Harvard Law School to hone his advocacy skills. Upon receiving his JD, he returned home to pay it forward to the communities that raised him.
He joined a legal practice focused on Texas electricity regulation just before Winter Storm Uri and has worked on building a more resilient, sustainable grid ever since. Through his professional and volunteer roles, Daniel has seen the importance of good government in creating safe, prosperous communities and the consequences when it fails to do so.
That’s why Daniel is committed to building an effective, efficient, and fair government that keeps the lights on - Texans deserve nothing less.
About TCAD
Local governments set tax rates based on the Appraisal District property values.
The Board of Directors manages the Appraisal District by hiring and managing a Chief Appraiser, approving the budget for the District, and hiring the Appraisal Review Board (ARB) – citizens who hear appeals from property owners.
The Chief Appraiser and her staff set valuations. After property owners are notified of valuations in April and May, property owners can discuss problems with valuations with appraisers. If still dissatisfied with valuations, property owners can have a hearing before a three-member panel of the ARB (NOT the Board of Directors) to reduce the valuation. The Board of Directors is prohibited from influencing or changing decisions of the independent ARB. A Taxpayer Liaison, who reports to the Board of Directors, is available to help taxpayers who are having difficulties with the appraisal process.
Appeal to the ARB is usually the last step in the process for most homeowners. It is thus essential that the ARB gives all property owners a full and fair hearing and set accurate values. The new law that created three elected positions to the Board of Directors also requires that
ARB applicants receive the votes of two of the three elected directors (as well as the majority of the Board) to be appointed. That's why this election is so important!
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Join Us!
Our Supporters
Congressman Lloyd Doggett
Congressman Greg Casar
Senator Sarah Eckhardt
County Judge Andy Brown
Representative Donna Howard
Representative Vikki Goodwin
Representative James Talarico
Representative John Bucy III
Commissioner Margaret Gomez
Commissioner Brigid Shea
District Attorney José Garza
Constable Carlos Lopez
Constable Stacy Suits
Austin Mayor Pro Tem Leslie Pool
Austin Councilmember Paige Ellis
Austin Councilmember Chito Vela
Austin Councilmember Ryan Alter
ACC Trustee Nan McRaven
ACC Trustee Stephanie Gharakhanian
AISD Board President Arati Singh
AISD Trustee Ofelia Zapata
AISD Trustee Andrew Gonzales
Hon. Debra Danburg
Hon. Cecilia Burke
Hon. Kathie Tovo
Hon. Jimmy Flannigan
Hon. Hunter Ellinger
Hon. Roxanne Evans
Representative Gina Hinojosa
Representative Sheryl Cole
Representative Lulu Flores
TCDP Chair Pooja Sethi
Commissioner Jeff Travillion
Commissioner Ann Howard
Constable Adan Ballesteros
Constable George Morales III
Constable Tonya Nixon
Austin Councilmember Alison Alter
Austin Councilmember Vanessa Fuentes
Austin Councilmember Zo Qadri
Pflugerville Councilman Rudy Metayer
ACC Trustee Julie Ann Nitsch
AISD Trustee Lynn Boswell
AISD Trustee Noelita Lugo
AISD Trustee Kathryn Whitley Chu
Manor ISD Trustee Ana Cortez
Hon. Elliott Naishtat
Hon. Scott Hochberg
Hon. Margo Frasier
Hon. Jackie Goodman
Hon. Ora Houston
Hon. Paul Saldaña
Hon. Ann Teich
Cristina Adams
Ana Aguirre
David Albert
Debbie Alfaro
Phoebe Allen
Alexandria Anderson
Meebs Aslam
Linda Bailey
Dana Bartholomew
Angela Benavides Garza
Andrea Bergia
Heather Bland-Ho
Jeb Boyt
Lorraine Broll
Garry Brown
Sharon Brown
Kyle Burke
David Butts
Sylvia Camarillo
Susana Carranza
David Carter
Perla Cavazos
Eric Chen
Wenpei Chen
Jeffrey Clemmons
Rick Cofer
Jessica Cohen
Karen Collins
Anne Compton
Martha Cotera
Jim Cousar
Cecelia Crossley
Chris Cruz
Leslie Currens
Janice Curtis
Logan Davidson
Morgan Davis
Alicia Del Rio
Jane Denson
Caro Dubois
Kolby Duhon
Peter Einhorn
Jim Ellinger
Ida Esfandiari
Ed Espinosa
Gavino Fernandez
Annie Fierro
Sharon Fleming
Veronica Frederick
Lucy Frost
Blanca Garcia
Jerusalen Garcia Jordan
Susan Gezana
Samira Ghosh
Heidi Gibbons
Julie Gilberg
Sarah Goodfriend
Jackie Goodman
Doug Greco
Betsy Greenberg
Idona Griffith
Beki & Richard Halpin
Bill Hamilton
Lisa Harris
Eric Hartman
Marvin Hecker
Dan Heinzen
Jeremy Hendrix
Laura Hernandez Holmes
Tina Hester
Ranleigh HirshJ
ohn Hoffner
Karen Horan
Yi Hong
Natalie Houchins
Haitao Huang
Kevin Jackson
Paul Jarmon
Maria Jimenez
Melissa Jones
Lousie Joy
Caitlin Kalb
Margaret Karan Shirk
Gary Keith
Cynthia Keohane
Daniel Segura Kelly
Francia Kim Laughton
Bill King
David King
Jolene Kiolbassa
Skyler Korgel
Miriam Laeky
Julie Lass
David Lauderback
Heather Laurence
Victoria Lavi
Francesca Leahy
Gloria Leal
Jennie Lou Leeder
Reuben Leslie
Bobby Levinski
Hugh Li
Carmen Llanes Pulido
Lolly Lockart
Jason Lopez
Mary Lovell
Vanessa MacDougal
Hans Magnusson
Tim Mahoney
Mack Martinez
Donna Beth McCormick
Anne McCready Heinen
Joann McKenzie
Gentry McLean
Jeaneane McNulty
Alex Meed
Eli Melendrez
Rosemary Merriam
Cindy Metcalf
Nick Miller
Kathy Mitchell
Marsha G. Mitchell
Marion Mlotok
Laura Morrison
Chris Mosser
Bob Murry
Katie Naranjo
Craig Nazor
Mary Ann Neely
PIerre Nguyễn
Tom Nuckols
Anne Ochoa
Julie Oliver
Tatum Owens
Justin Parker
Beth Payan
Tanya Payne
Alejandro Peña
Brian Peña
Sheng Peng
Keaton Peters
Anna Pittala
Adam Powell
Herman Prager
Resa Pratt
Ross Pumfrey
Andrew Pyle
Zhen Qi
Ted Raab
Saundra Ragona
John Reiser
Joe Reynolds
Judah Rice
Kathyrn Rogers
Geoff Rips
Barbara Rush
Nathan Ryan
Ana Salas Porras
Jake Salinas
Julio Salinas
Tamra Shea Oatman
Ted Siff
Joe Silva
Daniela Silva
Phil Simmons
Charlotte Slack
David Smith
Craig Smith
Haley Smith
Diana Spain
Stephen Speir
Donna Squyres
Ben & Iris Suddaby
Paul Sullivan
Carol Teitelman
Christian Torres
Andre Treiber
Jill Van Voorhis
Janel Vanzant
Pedro Villalobos
Van Vo
Nancy Walker
Catharine Wall
David Weinberg
Steven Weintraub
Tom Whatley
Brian Wheat
Indrawaty Wijono
Nancy Williams
Larry Williamson
Selena Xie
Linda Xie
Donate!
If you would like to donate to the campaign, please click the Donate button below. Because this election has not been well publicized and is at a time where turnout is typically low, we need to get the word out to as many folks as we can. Your donation of any size will be appreciated. You can also mail a check to:
Shenghao for TCAD
PO Box 201563
Austin, TX 78720
