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After 35 years, Cameron County Tax Assessor-Collector Tony Yzaguirre is running for reelection to the office he helped transform.
First winning office in 1988, Yzaguirre, the county’s longest-serving elected official, helped computerize the county’s tax collection system while expanding its branch offices to 11, including six drive-thru stations.
“I am very proud of all we have accomplished and of our staff’s commitment to provide efficient services and further improve our services, security and transparency,” he said in a press release.
During his tenure, Yzaguirre pushed to increase the county’s number of tax offices from three, with 32 employees, to 11 with a staff of 107.
About a year after taking office, he opened the county’s first drive-thru branch, he said.
Now, he’s running six drive-thru offices.
“Our growth over the years created a greater need f0r service and our partnerships have allowed us to expand services while remaining fiscally responsible,” Yzaguirre said.
Through the years, Yzaguirre helped transform the tax assessor-collector’s office, computerizing its tax collection system while offering online payments.
“The Cameron County tax assessor-collector’s office has gone to great lengths to continue to save tax dollars and improve customer satisfaction by further increasing online payments,” he said. “Advances in office technology also increased security and help modernize e-commerce solutions.”
Noting the Cameron County Appraisal District sets property values which help determine tax rates, Yzaguirre said he’s pushed for a “fairer property tax system.”
“Throughout my career, I have been a strong advocate for a fairer property tax system,” he said. “I have introduced legislative changes to the property tax code. While the tax assessor-collector’s office has no authority over the valuation of properties, or for setting the tax rate, we can do our part to inform taxpayers of exemptions they may qualify for.”
With his office winning “multiple awards,” Yzaguirre said he “thinks out of the box” to offer better services.
During his tenure, he’s helped launch “multiple programs to assist taxpayers — among those is the ability to establish monthly payment plans which allow taxpayers additional time to pay for property taxes they fell behind on to avoid the loss of their property due to non-payment.”
Now, he’s planning to launch a system allowing taxpayers using checking accounts and credit and debit cards to make payments by phone, he said.
