Candidate profiles: Roosevelt County tax assessor

Editor’s note: Two Republicans are seeking the nomination for Roosevelt County Assessor in the June 1 primary election. No Democrats filed as candidates.

The following profiles are part of a series on candidates in local races. Both candidates were asked the same set of questions.

Tex L. Belcher (Incumbent)

• Why do you want the position?

More for the interest of the Roosevelt County taxpayers and I enjoy talking to the people who come by the office.

• What makes you qualified for the position?

I’m going on my 12th year in that office. I spent eight years as. ... chief deputy and this will be my first term when I finish this term.

• What would be your goals if elected to the position?

To continue to work for the citizens of Roosevelt County.

• What is the biggest issue facing the county right now, and how would you address it?

Because of the state shortfall for reasons we won’t discuss at this time, Santa Fe is scrambling for more revenue.

Santa Fe inspects our office every year and when they came in this year, they clamped down on us hard because we have not been raising the (property) values as much (as required), according to them.

I grew up in Roosevelt County and I know a lot of people and I’m a taxpayer myself. I understand people’s financial difficulty at this time.

I’m very conscious of people’s needs ... all the time I’ve been in that office we’ve tried to serve the Roosevelt County citizens.

• How long have you lived in the county?

All my life. I grew up east of Rogers. I went to school in Rogers until Dora consolidated, then I graduated from Dora. I’ve farmed and ranched for a number of years until a number of years ago I was in the treasurers office. I became the deputy treasurer and then ended up in the assessors office.

• Contact information: 276-8788.