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Public commenter alleges appraisal fraud, secret 8% discount at Lubbock Central Appraisal District
Summary
At the May 14 Lubbock ISD board meeting, James Harris alleged appraisal fraud at the Lubbock Central Appraisal District (LCAD), claiming a secret 8% across-the-board discount and urging trustees to investigate; the board did not record a formal response during the meeting.
James Harris addressed the Lubbock ISD Board of Trustees during the citizen-comment period on May 14, 2026, alleging that the Lubbock Central Appraisal District engaged in appraisal fraud and provided a ‘‘secret 8% across-the-board discount’’ to a subset of property owners.
"A few thousand local taxpayers received a secret 8% across the board discount on their property taxes," Harris said, adding that if some property owners received that windfall, ‘‘then you paid more in tax to make up for the shortfall.’’ He told trustees he had presented printed evidence, emails and a link to high-definition video that he said documented the conduct and that he had urged board members to view it on May 2 and May 13.
Harris said LCAD collects taxes for properties in Lubbock County and estimated that about $600,000,000 flows through the district annually. He argued that, under current Texas law, appraisal districts lack an external regulator and urged the board to "protect your financial interests" and investigate the matter.
The board did not record a response or a motion to refer the allegation to staff or legal counsel during the meeting. Harris cited prior presentations to trustees in 2025 and dates he emailed evidence; those materials and the video timestamps were described by Harris as provided to the board but the transcript does not show a trustee requesting the video during the public-comment period.
The allegation remains an unresolved claim in the meeting record: trustees acknowledged the comment period and proceeded to trustee remarks and ceremonial business. The transcript does not include any official verification or staff explanation of the claims during the session.
What happens next: The meeting moved on to trustee remarks and oath ceremonies; the transcript does not record any board referral, staff assignment or public-record confirmation of Harris’s claims during the session.
