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Endorsed By

Houston Chronicle

Taxes will never be fun, but we can make them easy!

I am running because the people of Harris County deserve a competent and highly experienced tax assessor-collector who is looking out for the taxpayers.  I have over 20 years of proven experience working on behalf of government entities ensuring there is equity, accuracy and efficiency in tax assessing and collecting. I know how to navigate government bureaucracy to make sure the job gets done. The timing is right both professionally and personally to transition from Assistant General Counsel at Aldine ISD to running for office so I can serve the citizens of Harris County.

Annette Ramirez is first generation Mexican American and Texan. 

EDUCATION

Texas A&M University at Galveston, Bachelor’s Maritime Administration
South Texas College of Law, J.D.

CAREER

After college, Annette began her career working in logistics and operations for oil and gas tankers but pivoted to a career in the law while she began her family. She has worked in the legal department for Aldine Independent School District for over 20 years. She currently serves as Assistant General Counsel overseeing the District’s in-house property tax collection, litigation, and real estate matters.

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A proactive, innovative leader, Annette has demonstrated her ability to update technology and transform systems on time and under budget. 

FAMILY

Annette is a proud mother to three children.  Her son, a 2021 graduate of the Texas Maritime Academy located at Texas A&M University at Galveston, currently serves as a licensed 3rd Mate Officer for an international shipping company.  Her twins are seniors in high school and participate in Varsity Cheer and as Student Trainer.  Both are on their way to great success in college and beyond, and think their mom's candidacy is 'pretty cool.'

MEET ANNETTE
ABOUT THE
POSITION
Harris County Tax Assessor Collector 

One of the primary responsibilities of the Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector, is to levy, collect and disburse property taxes.  The Assessor also ensures that all property owners are taxed at the legally-mandated level and districts that provide public services receive the funding to which they are entitled.

Annette’s work at Aldine ISD makes her uniquely qualified for the role of Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector. Aldine is the only school district in Texas that collects its own property taxes. Every other district hires outside attorneys to do the work. In her role as Assistant General Counsel, she has become an expert in property tax law and has mastered navigating relationships with other local government agencies.  

PRIORITIES
Property Tax
As Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector, Annette will be a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars, showing up every day to work hard so that the office serves taxpayers with accuracy, transparency, equity, and fairness.

Her top priorities will include:

  • Innovating taxpayer and customer services

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  • Support initiatives that lower collection fees assessed to delinquent taxpayers.

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  • Prioritizing collections against corporations and big businesses over homeowners

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  • Developing an enhanced Community Education and Outreach Program

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  • Work with elected leaders to eliminate predatory lending practices by Tax Lien Lenders

Voter Registration
While federal and state law determine the minimum we must do, there are opportunities to go beyond what’s required to become the state’s leading county for making sure every eligible voter is registered and ready to participate in our democratic process.

One of the most critical functions of this office is to maintain, improve, and enhance the integrity of the voter registration rolls. While federal and state law determine the minimum we must do, there are opportunities to go beyond what’s required to become the state’s leading county for making sure every eligible voter is registered and ready to participate in our democratic process. 

 

We will deliver:

 

A dedicated Voter Registration Outreach Team that is tasked with proactive, year-round community outreach. This includes:

  • Increased frequency of training Volunteer Deputy Registrar and expanded recruitment in minority communities.

  • Targeted new voter registration and voter registration renewal campaigns and activities, including expanding the office’s presence at citizenship ceremonies, on high school and college campuses, and with nonpartisan organizations that serve special populations including youth aging out of the foster care system and formerly incarcerated people who have earned the the right to vote again. 

  • Improved processes for helping voters placed on the suspense list cure their status in time to vote ahead of election deadlines.

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Advocate for and work with state elected officials to establish same day and online voter registration. Texas already allows voters to update their registration online. Allowing voters to register online will:

  • Increase participation by allowing people to register any time and any place they have an internet connection.

  • Reduce the likelihood of data entry errors caused by difficult-to-read paper applications, make the process more efficient, and ensure the county has up-to-date contact information for voters in case it is needed to confirm application information or cure a provisional ballot.

  • Speed the process after a registration is submitted, enabling the office to quickly confirm registrants’ eligibility and, if qualified, add them to the county voter rolls. 

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Focus on language justice with more systematic outreach with languages beyond English & Spanish. This will require: 

  • Developing materials translated and checked by native speakers rather than AI or Google translate

  • Coordinating with community media to ensure educational and public service announcements reach people in their language of choice.  public service announcements in various diverse communities. 

  • Hiring staff from diverse communities so they can support voters in real time. 

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Ongoing upgrades and maintenance of technology to increase efficiency and improve interagency collaboration. We are only as good as our systems. Outdated software and slow response time does not serve voters. We are committed to:

  • Updating to the most secure and cutting-edge systems available with an eye on innovation. 

  • Providing ongoing training to staff so that everyone is current and confident in using those systems and there is no need for workarounds that can increase the likelihood of errors. 

  • Working closely with the Harris County Clerk’s Election Division so that voting, signature verification, and curing provisional ballots happens in a secure, timely, and streamlined fashion. 

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