What to know: All Midland voters will choose between Eva Salcido and incumbent Scott Lynch for the Midland Central Appraisal District (MCAD) Place 2 position in the Nov. 3 election.

The Permian Press asked the candidates the same three questions focused on MCAD operations, taxpayer rights, and the board’s oversight of the chief appraiser, and asked candidates to respond in 150 words or fewer. Answers are published in alphabetical order by the candidate’s last name. Candidate responses are presented as submitted. Early voting runs Oct. 19-30. Election Day is Nov. 3.

Why it matters: MCAD determines the appraised value of property in Midland County, but it does not set the tax rates that determine how much residents ultimately pay.

The board also does not personally decide what an individual home or business is worth. Instead, it oversees the appraisal district. Major responsibilities include hiring the chief appraiser, approving MCAD’s budget, and setting policies for how the district operates.

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Editor’s note: The Permian Press had not yet received questionnaire answers from Eva Salicido at the time of publication but will update the article if they become available.

Question 1: What is one specific change you believe the MCAD Board should make over the next two years? Why is that change needed, and what would success look like?

Scott Lynch: We have made significant improvements in leadership, compliance, technology, financial controls, training and customer service. Now we need to measure whether those improvements are producing the results we expect. Over the next two years, I want the Board to continue building on the major changes we have already made while continuing to make the moderate and smaller changes that improve how MCAD operates and communicates with the public.

Significant organizational changes take time to fully bear fruit. I believe we need to give the changes we have made the time necessary to work while continuing to build on them and make improvements along the way. Not every improvement has to be a major initiative. Sometimes it is a better process, a clearer policy, an easier-to-use website, or something as simple as making Board minutes readily available online.

Success would mean continuing to improve MCAD at every level—while measuring results, identifying what still needs work, and making the changes necessary to become more efficient, transparent, accountable and responsive to taxpayers.

Question 2: When a property owner believes MCAD has valued their property incorrectly, what role should an elected board member play in helping the taxpayer, and where should the board member’s involvement end?

Lynch: My role is to help the taxpayer understand the process, not promise them a particular outcome. I would listen to their concern, explain what MCAD is responsible for, and make sure they know how to work with appraisal staff and, when appropriate, file a formal protest with the Appraisal Review Board. The Board does not appraise individual properties or adjust individual values.

MCAD specifically directs property-value concerns to appraisal staff and unresolved disagreements to the ARB. My involvement ends when helping the taxpayer understand and access the proper process would become an attempt to influence the outcome.

I believe elected officials should be accessible and helpful, but they should never use their position to get a taxpayer a result that another taxpayer could not obtain through the same process. Fairness requires that the rules apply equally to everyone.

Question 3: What specific measures should the board use to assess whether the chief appraiser is performing well, and what results would cause you to believe a change in leadership is necessary?

Lynch: I would measure the Chief Appraiser on things she can actually control: legal and MAP compliance, appraisal accuracy and equity, financial controls, employee training and retention, customer service, technology and operational efficiency, ARB support, statutory deadlines and implementation of Board policies.

I would also look at whether identified problems are being corrected and whether the organization is becoming more professional and accountable over time. MAP itself examines governance, taxpayer assistance, operations, and appraisal standards and methodology.

A change in leadership should be considered if there is a sustained failure to meet those expectations, significant unresolved compliance or financial problems, repeated operational failures, or a breakdown in trust between the Chief Appraiser and the Board. I would not consider rising property values by themselves a reason to change leadership. The question is whether MCAD is doing its job correctly—not whether values are up or down.