TAD Exposes Taxpayer Private Data on the Internet & Attempts Coverup

Update: TAD Releases Statement Acknowledging Truth

I have concerning news that may directly impact your privacy and the security of your personal information. I feel the right thing to do is to inform you about this. Nobody at the appraisal district is taking action to inform you, so I’m taking it upon myself. 

In October 2022, The Tarrant Appraisal District (TAD) became aware of a security failure affecting the servers that store data for TAD. Unfortunately, taxpayer private information, including photocopies of driver's licenses, possibly social security numbers and bank account numbers, were exposed on the internet.

Shockingly, the board has yet to inform taxpayers who might be affected. Based on what I learned from multiple sources, it may affect everybody with a homestead exemption. The bank account and SSN exposure would only affect those who uploaded closing documents as evidence for a protest hearing or documents necessary to qualify for an exemption.

TAD completely got rid of their old technology, and published a new website in early 2023 while "creating a false narrative that distances the truth from the media," as TAD's top IT executive was heard saying on a secret audio recording published by the Star-Telegram. The fallout eventually led to the resignation of Jeff Law, who had been the chief appraiser throughout years of controversies at TAD.

At the Nov. 17, 2023, TAD board meeting, the outgoing chairman (the same guy who has been on the wrong side of nearly every controversial issue over the past 2 years) stated they were closing the investigation into the TAD security failure. Listen to here at the 3:13:38 timestamp of this TAD board video.

After this was announced, I talked with my sources and found out that third-party investigators only interviewed half of the staff in TAD's IT department. I also confirmed that TAD had evidence that taxpayer information was exposed on the internet. But the TAD Board wasn't going to take further action unless they could obtain a list of IP addresses belonging to outsiders who downloaded the exposed private taxpayer data. This seems irresponsible to me.   

I don't understand why TAD's board chairman and investigators don't want to notify the taxpayers who were potentially put at risk. 

After hearing from concerned taxpayers (including me), TAD's attorney told me they were going to continue the investigation. I've seen firsthand how TAD and this current board conducts its investigations. The memory of their investigation concerning their attack on me is still fresh... I just don't trust it at all.

Before the board chairman vacates his seat, he is trying to rush the hiring process to select a new chief appraiser before the majority of the board is replaced by newly elected board members taking office on Jan. 1, 2024.

I don’t trust the current chairman to oversee the hiring process. Why would he rush hiring a chief appraiser less than a month before he leaves office thereby preventing the three new board members who will oversee the new chief appraiser from having input into who is hired?

This on the heels of trying to sweep the security failure under the rug doesn’t sit well with me and I don't think I'm alone.  Telling you, the taxpayer, is the right thing to do.  

I believe in transparency and the right of taxpayers to have a voice in decisions that directly impact them. Your presence and voice are essential in ensuring our concerns are heard and addressed. Together, we can make a difference and hold those responsible accountable.

Here’s how you can take action:

• Share this info with neighbors and everywhere online
• Email the board members: Tony.Pompa@tadbod.org, JR.Martinez@tadbod.org, Jungus.Jordan@tadbod.org, Vince.Puente@tadbod.org, Rich.DeOtte@tadbod.org 
• Attend TAD board meetings at 2500 Handley Ederville Rd, Fort Worth: 
  • Dec. 14, at 9 am - They will be interviewing chief appraiser candidates
  • Dec. 21 (time tbd) - They plan to select and name the new chief appraiser

The only way I could afford to do this is because of your generous support. Here are two ways you can support our efforts:

• Donate here
• Send an email to chandler@chandlercrouch.net to get help from my expert real estate team to buy or sell, including help finding a house you can buy with under a 4% interest rate.