From the InBox:

Press Release

Date: January 11, 2016

From: Don Sumners, CPA  Republican primary candidate for tax assessor-collector

Contact information: 713-973-7808h, 713-857-0236c, [email protected]

Mike Sullivan says it’s not his function to act as Taxpayer Watchdog Opponent

Don Sumners, CPA disagrees, says taxpayers want an advocate

Mike Sullivan, Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector cancelled his scheduled presentation before the Downtown Pachyderm Club on Thursday, avoiding his first joint 2016 Republican primary election appearance with his opponent former tax assessor-collector Don Sumners, CPA. Sumners was there to make his continuing sermon for the need of a ‘taxpayer watchdog’ as tax assessor-collector. But, on Saturday at a Cypress Tea Party candidate forum Sumners caught up with him.

Sullivan, the first to speak, After presenting a brief description of tax office functions and related statistics Sullivan stated that the most important responsibility of the office was voter registration and explained his efforts in registering voters and maintaining the voter roll. Later Sullivan stressed he considers his office to be solely that of an administrator and does not consider it appropriate for him to act as a ‘taxpayer watchdog.’ He amplified his statement further by stating that property tax matters outside his direct statutory duties should be left up to the Commissioners Court.

In his presentation, Sullivan stated that State Senator Paul Bettencourt was among his supporters. If true, Bettencourt’s position is particularly troubling as Bettencourt vigorously embraced the necessity of the tax assessor-collector acting as a ‘taxpayer watchdog’ and frequently engaged in public policy matters outside the direct duties of the office. He coined the phrase ‘tax man’ to express these activities. Now he is supposedly supporting a tax assessor-collector that has openly repudiated his policies, while supposedly spurning the opposing candidate Sumners, a former ten-year employee of his and later tax assessor-collector, who has always acted in agreement with him. Does anyone have a reason besides Sullivan and Bettencourt having the same political consultant?

Speaking after Sullivan, Don Sumners, holding high his sign featuring the words ‘Republican Taxpayer Watchdog’ strongly disagreed with Sullivan’s anti-tax watchdog position. He said that from the time he was elected county treasurer he has always held himself out as a taxpayer watchdog and has the run-ins with county officials to prove it. He particularly mentioned the attempt of former county judge Jon Lindsey to have the treasurer’s office abolished by the legislature during his tenure and his pay grade cut at the hands of the Commissioners Court. Sumners also brought up the precarious financial position of the City of Houston and the probable negative effect of continuing low oil prices on the area’s economy.

Sumners maintains that in troubled economic times his relative education (accounting, finance and economics), certification as a CPA (the only CPA to serve as county treasurer or tax assessor-collector), long standing business and 17 years Harris County government experience and his willingness to advocate on behalf of the taxpayers and engage in important public policy issues make it even more important to elect him as tax assessor-collector than ever before.

One subject of special interest discussed was the inordinate influence of the three main endorsing slates on the outcome of Republican primary elections. The matter was raised by candidates and the audience and Don Sumners was allowed time at the end of the program to discuss the operation of the slates and their influence on the outcome of the primary elections.

In addition, Mr. Sumners included this:

The Case for the Re-election of Don Sumners, CPA

As Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector

Don Sumners is running for re-election as tax assessor-collector with the objective of returning to the office as the ‘taxpayer’s watchdog’ in Harris County government. Throughout his political involvement Don has never wavered in his position as a protector of the individual citizen/taxpayer and has openly sought truthfulness, accounting and transparency in government. The wording ‘Taxpayer Watchdog’ has appeared on his material since he was elected County Treasurer and he proudly identified with the tea party movement in 2010.

Don does not shrink from promoting morality and ethics in politics, and has never accepted defeat in his efforts to accomplish his objectives. He has always been a conservative on both social and economic issues. He honestly believes that officeholders that deny the place and importance of social issues in politics, instead using politics only to seek economic gains for themselves and others, do not deserve to serve in office.

His opponent, Mike Sullivan has not lived up to his pre-election promises and has failed to act as a taxpayers’ advocate as did his predecessors Paul Bettencourt and Don Sumners.

Mike Sullivan promised he would shorten customer lines, work to register every eligible county resident to vote, clean-up the voter roll, allow the use of credit cards to pay all taxes and fees and “support legislative efforts to cap property taxes.”

In all these promises Sullivan has either failed (customer lines are not shorter), touted a questionable objective (beating the bushes for voter registrants assisting those who want to wreck the integrity of the election process), has promised to do something already done (clean up the voter rolls) or has completed an objective that was well along at the time he took office (the effort to allow credit card payments at the windows was begun by Paul Bettencourt and was finally approaching accomplishment when Don left office). Most disturbing to Don, Sullivan has gone totally back on his promise to oppose excessive property tax increases. Apparently, protecting himself from the risk of disturbing the big government taxing advocates (county or city) is more important than keeping his campaign promise.

In short, Sullivan has done nothing to keep taxpayers informed of questionable county spending or budget matters, seeking legislative property tax reform or opposing continued excessive automatic property tax increases occurring because of rapidly increasing property values.

In the last few years, Don has been successful in his objective of keeping taxpayers informed of current economic and government policy issues. His analysis of City of Houston’s drainage fee proposal led to the mayor reducing the fee by giving everyone a 1,000 sq. ft. exemption. His organization of a push to increase Houston’s over-65 exemption giving the elderly a tax cut. He testified in Austin for the need to reform or abolish the Harris Co. Dept. of Education because on its mismanagement of tax dollars. Since 2012 Don has had nine Op-eds published by the Houston Chronicle. The last two, warning of the impending increases in 2015 property taxes, appeared in September and October 2015. Most recently, Don testified before Commissioners Court against the county’s proposed 2015 property tax increase of 10.5{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986}. Also testifying against the tax increase was a representative of Senator Paul Bettencourt. As anticipated, Mike Sullivan was a no-show.

Rather than replace Mike Sullivan, one prominent state legislator suggested subtle persuasion be used to convince him to do his job. It hasn’t worked. But, why even try it when Don Sumners a committed and qualified CPA with seventeen years as a proven leader in county government ( elected as County Treasurer, Tax Assessor-Collector and Trustee, Harris Co. Dept. of Ed.) is ready and willing to energize the office and serve as an advocate for the taxpayers interests and their desire for tax reform?

Don is already thinking about the significant possibility that the greater Houston area could experience what amounts to a perfect storm in its economy. Although Harris County is in far better financial condition than the city, it is unlikely the county will escape the financial storm resulting from the coincidence of the already pending meltdown of the City of Houston’s financial condition and the end to tax revenue increases. Hopefully the affect would not be as bad as the 1980’s downtown when the county’s finances suffered substantially.

Under deteriorating county financial circumstances, it would be very beneficial to have Don Sumners as tax assessor-collector. He stands ready to continue his prior role as the taxpayers advocate and act on property tax and other impending public policy issues during what could be very troubling times.

Don’s first memory of being interested in politics was during the 1952 presidential campaign. He remembers watching the Republican presidential convention on television with his mother when Eisenhower defeated the pre-convention favorite Howard Taft. At the time Don’s parents had several friends involved in politics, he particularly remembers State Representative/Senator Searcy Braswell and Judge Phil Peden.

Don’s first involvement in a political campaign was in support of in the election of Senator John Tower in a special 1961 election and during the same time frame becoming an assistant election judge in Austin, Texas. At the time Don was attending the University of Texas.

After graduating and moving to Houston, Don supported Senator Barry Goldwater for president in 1964 and had his first letter to the editor regarding their endorsement of Johnson published in the Houston Post.

While living in Amarillo in the late 60s, Don served as the treasurer of the Randall County Republican Party.

Fast-forwarding, Don was actively involved in the successful defeat of zoning in 1993, having served as a director and treasurer of the Houston Property Rights Association. He was also active in the successful attempt to limit the terms of Houston city officials. He filed as a candidate for City Controller in order to act as a plaintiff in the law suit to defeat the re-election of officials attempting to gather petition signatures to stay on the ballot.

In the 1994 Republican Primary Don ran for Harris County Treasurer.It was his first attempt at a Harris County office. His campaign theme was he would serve as a “taxpayer watchdog.” He defeated two other candidates in the primary to run against the democrat in November 1994 general election which he won.

During the time Don served as County Treasurer, he actively made good on his campaign promise. He was at the forefront with Dan Patrick and Orlando Sanchez in opposing the new baseball stadium because taxpayers had received no assurance that property taxes would not be used to build or maintain the stadium. It was not until the Sunday before the Tuesday vote that government officials felt forced to make a no property tax use pledge in a front page Houston Chronicle story.

As treasurer, Don also made a substantial investigation of the multitude of tax abatements that were being given to various businesses, often under very questionable circumstances. The abatements were being given to companies whom often agreed to create only the small minimum number of jobs and limited investment. Also, there was little attention paid to whether the company wouldn’t have made the business expansion without the tax abatement, the so called ‘if not for’ test. The most flagrant abuse was the continuance (non-termination) of abatements for companies who failed to create or maintain the requirements of the abatement agreement. Don was told abatements were not automatically terminated by non-compliance, but continued in effect until terminated by a vote of the Commissioners Court. Later, this abatement mess was addressed by the commissioners and the granting of abatements was greatly reduced.

During the same time frame the county was generally approving participation in the new group of TIRZ zones being created by the City of Houston. Don questioned the propriety of several of these city TIRZs. The commissioners apparently also recognized the negative long-term consequences of indiscriminate participation in the city’s TIRZs and soon after ceased to participate as often or for the full amount in new TIRZs.

Also, during his time as treasurer, Don constantly reviewed the county’s property tax actions and was not hesitant to question the transparency of the commissioner’s actions.

In 1995, Don was particularly vocal in his consternation of the commissioners for passing a “sneak tax increase.” The sneak increase was a front page story in the Houston Chronicle. He also exposed the sheriff’s spending $570,000 yearly on 50+ rented new cars at $850 monthly, supposedly for undercover work. Not true.

In addition, during his time as treasurer, Don, with the assistance of Mary Williams, wrote the ’Tax Vote 97’ charter amendment for the City of Houston, the first attempt to limit the tax and fee increases of the City of Houston. Although the campaign, courageously lead by Bruce Hotze, was unsuccessful largely because of the lies of Mayor Robert Lanier, it did make way for enactment of the tax limitation that now limits tax creases.

In 1999, Don went to work for Paul Bettencourt in the Harris County Tax Office. There he continued his service as a taxpayer watchdog begun as County Treasurer by assisting Paul in his successful effort to act as a tax and public policy activist.

In 2010 Don was elected Tax Assessor-Collector running on a Republican Tea Party ‘Tax Watchdog’ platform. During his term, Don continued to make good on his promise to represent the people as their tax policy and conservative fiscal activist. This included investigating and reporting on the Port of Houston’s questionable expenditures paid for by property taxes and the City of Houston’s worsening finances.

Don also continued the fight with the Democrat Party over their attempts to weaken voter registration requirements. He refused to succumb to the democrats demands which would be a step in their attempts to destroy the integrity of the voting process.

Don made a presentation to the Houston City Council to show that the assessment rate of the proposed ‘drainage fee’ would cost the taxpayers substantially more than the average $5 per month the mayor was touting. Don’s calculations used during the presentation became the authority for drainage fee estimates and resulted in the mayor reducing all fees with a 1,000 square foot exemption.

Don made a visit to the Harris County Department of Education in 2012 to make a presentation showing that HCDE could significantly reduce their proposed tax rate and still collect the taxes necessary to satisfy their budget. After much back and forth, the result was HCDE’s passage of a reduced tax rate.

In 2012, Don organized an effort to raise the over-65 exemption at the City of Houston. He made a presentation to council showing the tax cost of raising the exemption to various levels. With the support of several key council members he was successful and the council, led by the mayor’s yes vote, raised the exemption to $80,000.

Subsequent to his retirement from the County at 12-31-12 Don has had nine op-eds published in the Houston Chronicle, involving numerous government issues. One op-ed published on 1-7-15 questioned the closing of James Bute Park on Buffalo Bayou to build a county building. The story resulted in Commissioners Court dropping their plans. Most recently two published on September 11, and October 20, 2015, regarding the large tax increases being proposed and passed by governments, including a 10.5{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} increase by Harris County taking advantage of the tax windfall caused by increased property values. Since becoming the Harris County Treasurer, Don has had thirteen op-eds and one major letter on various tax and public policy issues published in the Houston Chronicle.

In 2014, at the request of a Bunker Hill resident, Don appeared at a city council hearing to testify that the proposed tax rate was in excess of that needed to meet the budget. The council later approved a reduced rate.

In 2014 Don was elected a trustee of the Harris County Department of Education. He was elected on a reform or abolish platform and has continued his agenda as a taxpayer advocate at the department. He admits his efforts have met with the expected resistance but he has been able to achieve changes in the monthly financial statements and improvements in the information provided with board agenda items. He and fellow trustee Mike Wolfe are slowly having an impact on forcing HCDE to improve their operational processes. They have recruited two trustee candidates for the March primary to replace two trustees opposing reform. Unlike the county, Republican trustees reduced HCDE’s 2015 property tax rate to offset the effect of the 2015’s substantial property value increases.

In 2015, Don appeared before Commissioners Court at a scheduled tax rate hearing to ask for a reduction in the proposed excessive tax rate which would increase property taxes by 10.5{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986}. A representative of Senator Paul Bettencourt also protested the proposed rate. Mike Sullivan was nowhere to be found.

Paid for by the Re-elect Don Sumners campaign, Rita Sumners Treasurer
1726 Creek Dr. Houston, TX 77055  713-973-7808  [email protected]

There is a lot there to digest. Don has been around a long time and has made many friends and many enemies.

I thought about simply posting this with no commentary. How about minimal commentary?

I disagree with Mr. Sumners’ position that the Harris County Tax Assessor Collector’s position should be that of a taxpayer watchdog. Sumners is correct though in saying that many, if not most, Harris County Republicans think it should be. And he is spot on in his assessment of Paul Bettencourt – Tio Pablo, when did you change? I agree with Sullivan that the job is administrative in nature.

I’ll also have to disagree about the lines being longer at the tax offices. In fact, I’ll say from personal experience that his assertion is nonsense. In Sullivan’s four years on the job, I have been to four of the offices on the Southeast side and each time I came away impressed. Not only were the lines shorter, the offices were cleaner and brighter, and the customer service level was higher.

As for voter registration, I think that both men are wrong but admit to being puzzled by Sumners’ accusations in this area. Sumners defeated former HCTAC Leo Vasquez in part by complaining that Vasquez tried to expand voter registration. Vasquez dared to hold voter registration drives in places like Barrett Station, Sunnyside, Harrisburg, etc. You know, places where Republicans aren’t supposed to go. Sumners immediately abandoned those meetings when he was elected. But I have to admit that I was disappointed that Sullivan worked with the Harris County Republican Party to defeat online voter registration. So I’m not sure if either guy has an advantage here but it certainly seems strange that Sumners would bring this up as an issue.

There is no doubt, no question, no anything that says Don Sumners isn’t a taxpayer advocate because he is. Period.

The only question is, should the office of the Harris County Tax Assessor Collector be used for that platform? Former HCTAC and now State Sen. Paul Bettencourt agrees with Sumners that it should be. Former HCTAC Leo Vasquez and current HCTAC Mike Sullivan say no, the elected official needs to run the department efficiently and focus on administrative tasks.

It’s an interesting question, one that voters in the HCRP primary are going to have to decide.