A district may hire or contract for a tax assessor and collector if the person meets the stated certification/entity conditions, but disqualified persons may not serve in certain water or sewer districts.
Sec. 49.059. TAX ASSESSOR AND COLLECTOR. (a) A district may employ or contract with any person to serve as its tax assessor and collector who is: (1) an individual certified as a registered Texas assessor-collector; or (2) a firm, organization, association, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity if an individual certified as a registered Texas assessor-collector owns an interest in or is employed by the firm, organization, association, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity. (b) A tax assessor and collector employed or contracted for under this section is not required to be a natural person. (c) A firm, organization, association, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity serving as district tax assessor and collector shall give a bond as required by Section 49.057 for a natural person. (d) No person may serve as tax assessor and collector of a district providing potable water or sewer utility services to household users if that person: (1) is a natural person related within the third degree of affinity or consanguinity to any developer of property in the district, a member of the board, or the manager, engineer, or attorney for the district; (2) is or was within two years immediately preceding the assumption of assessment and collection duties with the district an employee of any developer of property in the district or any director, manager, engineer, or attorney for the district; (3) owns an interest in or is employed by any corporation organized for the purpose of tax assessment and collection services, a substantial portion of the stock of which is owned by a developer of property within the district or any director, manager, engineer, or attorney for the district; or (4) is directly or through a corporation developing land in the district or is a director, engineer, or attorney for the district. (e) Within 60 days after the board determines a relationship or employment exists which constitutes a disqualification under Subsection (d), it shall replace the person serving as tax assessor and collector with a person who would not be disqualified. (f) Any person who wilfully violates the provisions of Subsection (d) is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $1,000. (g) As used in this section, "developer of property in the district" has the same meaning as in Section 49.052(d). Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 715, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by: Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 105 (S.B. 902), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2013.