Grady County Assessor

For Bari Firestone

One issue added significant weight to the race for Grady County Assessor.

A group of Grady County Superintendents asked Assessor Phyllis Ray to follow a trend and change oil and gas inspection contractors.

Thirty-seven Oklahoma counties switched from their previous contractors to Visual Lease Services (VLS). This company has an increased up-front cost but has produced returns for every county that made the change.

Ray stood up to the Superintendents - whose schools would receive 83 percent of the increased tax revenues - and the county commissioners and kept her current contractor.

She has been rewarded with many campaign contributions from oil and gas companies whose tax bill won’t increase thanks to Ray’s hard stand.

Ray says she believes VLS taxes oil companies unfairly. She says the contributions to her re-election effort are merely in appreciation of fair and just treatment.

We disagree.

These companies are making an investment in keeping Ray as assessor. They expect a return on that investment. The return they receive should go to Grady County school districts and other government agencies who receive ad valorem tax money.

Firestone has 10 years of experience in the assessor’s office. She has an appreciation for the experience of the current staff in the office.

Firestone’s allegiances will be to Grady County residents - not out of state oil companies.

Grady County Associate District Judge

For John Herndon