Photo credit: Permian Basin Board of Realtors

What happened: Seven candidates seeking three elected seats on the Midland Central Appraisal District (MCAD) Board of Directors participated in a forum hosted by the Permian Basin Board of Realtors. Not all candidates were asked the same questions, so the comparisons below reflect candidates’ answers across the forum.

The candidates largely agreed on the basics of the job. The bigger differences were over how involved board members should be with taxpayers, how transparent MCAD should be, and whether the district needs more change or should continue changes already underway.

Voters will make three separate choices on Nov. 3. Keith Stretcher, Kat Chandler, and Manny Natividad are running for Place 1. Scott Lynch and Eva Salicido are running for Place 2. Brandon McMorries and Pat Erdwurm are running for Place 3. Early voting begins Oct. 19 and runs through Oct. 30.

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. Local governments such as the city, county, and school district set those rates.

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.

The big picture: Despite being asked different questions, all seven candidates described the board primarily as an oversight body responsible for ensuring MCAD operates properly rather than personally deciding the value of individual properties.

All seven also discussed ways to improve or maintain MCAD’s relationship with taxpayers. Their ideas ranged from making more information publicly available and improving customer service to helping residents better understand appraisals and the protest process.

Go deeper: The clearest differences between candidates were over how much additional change MCAD needs and how active board members should be in helping taxpayers. The three current directors — Natividad, Lynch, and Erdwurm — pointed to changes already underway, particularly the hiring of the current chief appraiser.

The four challengers focused more on additional changes they would pursue, such as more communication between the board and the community, more transparency in how appraisals are calculated, and more assistance in the protest process.

The Place 3 candidates also differed when specifically asked about taxpayer education. McMorries proposed workshops to help property owners prepare for protests, while Erdwurm questioned whether taxpayer education should be a board responsibility. The question was directed only to the Place 3 candidates, but Stretcher later said in his closing remarks that he believes board members should actively educate taxpayers.

Zoom out: Because candidates were asked different questions, the forum did not provide a point-by-point comparison of all seven. However, we’ve highlighted the broader priorities each candidate emphasized below.

Place 1: Stretcher, Chandler and Natividad

Keith Stretcher emphasized communication, public access, and advocacy. The former Midland city attorney called for posting more board information online, including full agenda packets and meeting minutes, and said he would regularly communicate with residents through community groups and local media. He also said he would advocate for Midland’s interests when Austin considers property-tax legislation.

Kat Chandler emphasized her legal background and experience with Texas’ property-tax system. She identified oversight of the chief appraiser, MCAD’s budget, and district policies as key board responsibilities. She also called for keeping MCAD’s website up to date, publishing board information, and streaming meetings so residents can follow them without attending in person.

Manny Natividad emphasized his roughly 20 years of property-tax experience and continuing changes already underway at MCAD. He called for greater access to appraisal information, more taxpayer education, and reporting on MCAD’s performance. He also argued that the current board has begun correcting problems that existed before the three elected directors took office.

Place 2: Lynch and Salicido

Scott Lynch emphasized continuing changes already underway at MCAD. He pointed to the board’s decision to conduct a broader search for the current chief appraiser and said the next step is providing the technology, training, and staff needed to keep improving the district. He emphasized customer service and judging the chief appraiser on measurable results such as fair appraisals, legal compliance, and taxpayer communication.

Eva Salicido emphasized transparency around how properties are appraised. She proposed giving property owners more information about the data used to determine their values, explaining protest procedures and deadlines in plain language and publishing broader statistics that could help taxpayers see appraisal patterns. She also said the chief appraiser should be evaluated on whether appraisals are accurate, timely, fair, and compliant with state law.

Place 3: McMorries and Erdwurm

Brandon McMorries emphasized broader changes to the taxpayer experience. Drawing on his background in real estate valuation, he called for workshops that teach residents how to protest, clearer explanations of how MCAD calculates values, and more scrutiny of whether properties are appraised fairly. He said board members cannot change individual values but should help taxpayers understand and navigate the system.

Pat Erdwurm emphasized the board’s oversight role and use of the established protest process. He said rising property values should not, by themselves, be viewed as evidence that the chief appraiser is performing poorly, and directors should focus instead on whether appraisals are fair, consistent, and follow state law. He also pointed to his accounting and finance background and the current board’s hiring of the chief appraiser.