Fort Worth ISD school board candidate’s residency called into question

In front of a residence owned by Fort Truly worth college board prospect Dr. Brian Dixon, a marketing campaign signal supported his opponent.

The sign backed Wallace Bridges, 63, who has accused Dixon, 41, of not residing in District 4 and who has questioned the Fort Well worth ISD to investigate. Dixon counters that he has enough proof to show his residency in a home he leases throughout the road from the one he owns.

Residence owners can not assert a homestead exemption on a dwelling that is not their principal residence, Tarrant Appraisal District Government Director Jeff Law verified April 21.

Dixon advised the Report he leases and lives in a dwelling at 1109 E. Leuda St., across the street from the 1 he owns and promises a homestead exemption on at 1104 E. Leuda St. He also co-owns a house Fort Really worth but which is in Crowley ISD.

His campaign filing to the district lists 1109 E. Leuda St. as his residency. This also is the tackle on his voter registration. Nevertheless, the tackle on Dixon’s driver’s license is 1104 E. Leuda St., according to the Tarrant Appraisal District.

A woman who life at 1104 E. Leuda St. explained to the Report on April 20 that Dixon does not are living there and mentioned she let Bridges set up a marketing campaign signal at his request. She asked not to be determined.

The Report also frequented 1109 E. Leuda St. on the same working day. A woman answered the door but did not establish herself and reported Dixon did not are living there. As a substitute, she mentioned, he lives across the street at 1104 E. Leuda.

When the Report adopted up with Dixon soon after the stop by to 1109 E. Leuda, he claimed he spoke with the home owner, Sherry Bolton, and said she was hesitant to communicate right after an incident wherever Bridges went to her household previous week. Dixon explained he instructed her it was a reporter who stopped by and explained to the Report she is open to a reporter heading back to speak with her to verify his residence.

On April 21, the Report returned to her house and requested to communicate with her again, she said, “Yes, (Dixon) does live here and, indeed, we have a agreement, and I have nothing else to say.”

Bridges said folks in the neighborhood know that Dixon does not dwell there and that he is renting out his household on East Leuda and lives in Crowley ISD.

“That’s just America,” Bridges reported. “You can choose to live where ever you choose to reside. Properly, then he explained, ‘Oh, just kidding. No, I never reside there. I are living at 1109,’ and it’s almost like, are we really that stupid?”

The school district is not investigating Dixon’s residency primarily based on his voter registration. The district only has to confirm residency at the time a candidate data files with the county The Tarrant County Elections Place of work and the on the net databases of Texas voter registrations listing Dixon’s voter registration as lively at 1109 E. Leuda.

Dixon emphasized that community information present he life at 1109 E. Leuda St.

“I by no means experienced a driver’s license anyplace but the district,” he explained in an emai on April 15l. “I have by no means experienced a voter registration everywhere but in the district. I have in no way experienced a homestead exemption everywhere but in the district. Consider this my ultimate statement on the concern.”

Dixon also supplied an email from the elections office confirming his address was current to 1109 E. Leuda St. for his lively voter registration. The e-mail claimed he requested the tackle modify on Feb. 7, 2022. Dixon and yet another particular person filed a deed for a house in Crowley ISD on Oct. 5, 2021, in accordance to Tarrant County. The Crowley ISD house also carries a homestead exemption, but it is not Dixon’s, Regulation claimed.

“My investment in the Southside knowingly goes unseen,” Dixon claimed in an email on April 15. “As president of the (Historic Southside Community Affiliation) for the two many years previous Wallace, I invested hours and 1000’s of dollars into making a much better neighborhood, like transitioning us by COVID by heading from in-particular person to virtual. I froze alongside my Leuda neighbors last yr when the electric power was out for days. I’ve volunteered at occupation days and Back again to University at Van Zandt Guinn. I did not do it for Facebook or a resume. I did it for our youngsters. Hence, it’s hurtful that he’s creating these styles of unfounded accusations and, frankly, sows discord within just the Black neighborhood.”

But Wallace explained it’s a bigger insult to operate for university board in a group where he does not are living. The Fort Truly worth ISD faculty board is established up to have single-member districts, indicating whoever represents a district has to reside in it.

“It’s an insult to the Black community when the place club folks make your mind up to choose who they assume is improved for this community,” Bridges mentioned. “I think that they know he doesn’t live in this group, but they say, ‘Oh let us just set a indication out and say Dr so-and-so’ and people will say, ‘Oh, he’s obtained to be greater for all of us.”

Whilst the elections place of work focuses on voter registration, the appraisal district calls for that a homestead exemption be applied only the place the assets is employed as a main home. Both equally 1104 and 1109 E. Leuda St. addresses are claimed as homestead exemptions.

Legislation reported Bolton’s homestead exemption is not in concern as extended as she life at 1109 E. Leuda. She can hire area to Dixon and even now have the exemption. Dixon’s is the a person in issue for the reason that someone else is dwelling in the dwelling he claimed as his exemption.

The affect on the Could 7 election for the college board race is unclear. The ballots currently have been printed. Dixon prospects Bridges in fundraising, in accordance to the most recent campaign finance stories. Dixon elevated $7,350 from Feb. 19 to March 28. Bridges introduced in $4,335 all through the very same time period.

Dixon has been given some prominent endorsements, which includes from the Better Fort Worthy of Association of Realtors, the United Educators Association and the political motion committee Concentration on College students.

Bridges’ endorsements involve City Council member Elizabeth Beck, Chairman of the Regional Black Contractors Association John Proctor, and Condition Board of Education member Aicha Davis.

Dixon needs to retain the focus on his aims as a candidate for the remaining weeks of the marketing campaign.

“My goal is to continue to be centered on our young ones, my file, my job, and my public provider displays that. I hope that any report from FWR does the identical,” Dixon mentioned.

But, on April 21, group leaders collected in front of the 1109 deal with to contact for an immediate investigation into Dixon’s residency. The party was led by Michael Bell, spokesman for the Tarrant County Neighborhood Arranging Committee.

Through the press convention, Dixon walked out of the house at 1109 E. Leuda, received in his motor vehicle, and left. When the Report frequented the household only two several hours earlier, even though, that vehicle was not there, and Dixon did not arrive to the doorway.

Bell desires the university district to make sure the integrity of the election.

“We’re here to simply call for an instant investigation into the discrepancies above where by Dr. Dixon in fact resides,” Bell explained. “There are lingering lingering queries connected to Dr. Dixon’s candidacy, and they have not been sufficiently addressed by the Fort Value ISD Board, primarily board president Tobi Jackson.”

A clique of people today downtown have a vested fascination in the race mainly because they are pushing their individual agenda, he stated.

“District 4 deserves to have elected officials that basically stay in and are entirely invested in District 4 and not have exterior persons… They handpick these to more their possess agendas, which ordinarily are not in the fascination of our district or primarily not our children,” Bell reported.

Absent from look at through the press convention was the marketing campaign sign supporting Bridges. Immediately after the Report’s visit to Leuda Street the day prior to, the indicator was eliminated.

Kristen Barton is an education and learning reporter for the Fort Well worth Report. Call her at [email protected]. At the Fort Really worth Report, news conclusions are produced independently of our board users and fiscal supporters. Study additional about our editorial independence policy right here.