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Fair Appraisals for Bosque County
Public Governance: “Bosque County Appraisal District” vs. Private Nonprofit: “Bosque Central Appraisal District” — A Strategy to Blur Oversight
How BCAD created and controls a private nonprofit to carry out public business, with no voter approval and little public oversight.
In 2023, the Bosque Central Appraisal District (BCAD) quietly formed a nonprofit corporation to buy real estate. Did you know? Neither did we because this wasn't publicly explained.
🏛️ What Kind of Government Agency Is BCAD?
BCAD is a government agency—a political subdivision of the State of Texas. It:
Is funded by your tax dollars,
Is supposed to operate transparently,
Must follow laws like the Texas Open Meetings Act and Public Information Act,
And is governed by a board appointed by other public taxing entities.
They are not above the law.
🏛️ Are Nonprofits Always Private?
No, not all nonprofits are "private" in the traditional sense. But most nonprofits formed by government entities are structured as private nonprofits under Texas and federal law, even though they are publicly affiliated or publicly funded.
✅ Types of Nonprofits
1. Private Nonprofits (Most Common)
Structured under Texas Business Organizations Code as nonprofit corporations.
Even if created by or affiliated with a government agency, they are legally separate private entities.
Examples: Economic development corporations, appraisal district real estate nonprofits, housing finance nonprofits.
🔎 This is likely what BCAD formed under Resolution #2023/003 — a private nonprofit acting on behalf of a public agency.
2. Public Nonprofit Entities (Less Common Terminology)
Sometimes used informally to describe governmental units that don’t earn a profit (e.g., school districts, libraries, appraisal districts).
These aren’t actually “nonprofits” under IRS rules. They’re governmental bodies that are tax-exempt by nature.
🧾 IRS Classification
Even if a government-linked nonprofit is tax-exempt under IRS 501(c)(3), (4), or (6):
It is still legally considered a private corporation unless it's created by statute or defined as a governmental unit under federal law.
That means it can own property, sign contracts, and hide details unless subject to open records laws by affiliation.
⚠️ Why This Matters:
When a public agency like BCAD creates a nonprofit, that entity is:
Not automatically subject to the same transparency laws (like the Texas Public Information Act),
Not required to post agendas or hold open meetings,
Not easily traceable in county ownership records.
Even though it's working with public money, it operates legally as a private organization unless additional oversight is imposed.
✅ Legitimate Uses of a Nonprofit (In Theory)
Some agencies use nonprofits to:
Speed up land purchases,
Limit liability exposure,
Partner on community-based projects,
Structure lease-purchase deals without issuing bonds.
But even these uses require transparency, ethics, and public accountability.
🚩 Now Let’s Talk About the Red Flags
Here’s what happens when a nonprofit is used as a shell to move taxpayer money out of view:
🔒 Property doesn’t show up in BCAD’s name on public records.
🗣️ No public vote. No public hearing. No taxpayer consent.
📄 No bidding process. No clear explanation of cost, need, or ownership.
💸 Lease-back arrangements let them disguise real estate as a monthly expense, hidden from budget scrutiny.
🤝 And worst of all? It opens the door to insider deals, political favoritism, and sweetheart contracts. Local connections go a long way in backroom arrangements.
This isn’t just shady. It’s a violation of public trust.
🏛️ What BCAD Would Have to Do to Acquire Real Estate Without the Nonprofit:
If this were done by the book, BCAD would be required to:
Vote publicly in a board meeting,
Disclose the purchase in their budget,
Show BCAD as the legal owner on the deed,
Follow competitive bidding and procurement laws,
Justify how the real estate benefits taxpayers.
But with this nonprofit? They skirt all of it.
🧠 Now Add This: The Naming Confusion
Perhaps most concerning is the nearly identical name used for the nonprofit.
BCAD reportedly created a nonprofit called “Bosque County Appraisal District”—nearly indistinguishable from the official government entity, “Bosque Central Appraisal District.”
This tactic raises major red flags:
✅ It creates confusion. Most taxpayers will not notice the subtle word swap—and may assume the nonprofit is the government agency.
✅ It conveys false legitimacy. The name mimics official authority, which can mislead the public or vendors.
✅ It shields actions. When deeds, leases, or contracts are filed under the similar-sounding name, public tracking becomes harder—and accountability suffers.
Whether intentional or not, this naming strategy blurs the line between public agency and private entity. That’s not just confusing—it’s dangerous to democratic transparency.
❗ Bottom Line:
The Bosque Central Appraisal District has created a nonprofit (or 2?), maintains control over it, and appears to be using it to pursue a real estate acquisition for a multimillion-dollar facility project outside the usual channels of transparency. This private entity, wholly owned by a public agency, is positioned to shield decisions from scrutiny, bypass direct accountability, and operate in ways that would be difficult—if not impossible—under normal government processes.
Public money is involved. Public decisions are being made. But the public has been left out. These concerns are based on a documented pattern of behavior, where major financial decisions have been made quietly, without public engagement or full disclosure.
This nonprofit structure looks like a workaround—a tool to move real estate and money without public oversight, and possibly to benefit insiders while keeping taxpayers in the dark.
Even if it’s technically legal, it’s not ethical, not transparent, and not how public business should be done. We’ve filed open records requests. We’re investigating, and we’re not stopping.
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