WCMessenger.com: Inside Wise

Mobile homes on the move ...

Did you know it's illegal to move a manufactured home on which taxes are owed? Truckers are supposed to carry proof that all taxes have been paid before hooking up and moving a mobile home. But that doesn't stop them - or mortgage companies - from trying.

It happened last week in Wise County. In an attempt to avoid paying delinquent taxes, a mortgage company tried to have a manufactured home moved from Wise County to Oklahoma.

Thanks to an alert neighbor, the Boyd Police Department and the Wise County Sheriff's Department, the double wide is now sitting in the county's impound yard.

Attorneys for the appraisal district had seized the home just west of Boyd for delinquent taxes on March 10. It had been plastic wrapped and the axles installed - obvious signs the company was preparing to move it.

"We were alerted by a neighbor and one of our appraisers," explained Mickey Hand, chief appraiser for the Wise County Appraisal District. The appraiser slapped a sign on the mobile home saying it had been seized by the WCAD.

That didn't deter the company. But on Sunday their mover requested assistance for traffic control from the Boyd police and the sheriff's department.

The police and deputies noticed the seizure sign when they arrived and ordered the local trucker to drive it to the impound yard.

"Rumors had the home going to Oklahoma, which would have made it impossible for us to locate and collect delinquent taxes," said Hand. "This is a common problem in Wise County. State law requires tax offices to file liens with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs in Austin to protect our taxing entities. But these movers often move them under dealer transfers or foreclosure transfers, which puts the tax office in the business of trying to locate them after the fact and makes collection more difficult.

"If we can intercept the move, we can find out who purchased it, stop the move and improve our ability to collect taxes owed. Generally, the lienholder (the mortgage company) is forced to pay."

Hand said neighbors can help by calling the appraisal district or the county tax office if a home is being prepared to be moved.

Considering that 38 percent of all delinquent taxes owed to the Decatur school district in 2004 are from mobile homes, a quick call can pay off for us all.

Be Careful...

Opponents of injection wells in Wise County may be close to overplaying their hand.

While many may agree that the wells are a serious situation, the oppressive tactics of the opponents are beginning to grate on the nerves of those who may at least casually support their cause.

The Messenger's internet site discussion groups are a good example. The anti-injection well folks have the habit of turning any discussion on the Web into an anti-injection well subject.

The situation got so bad that our Webmaster, Todd Grifith, set up a separate section for the injection well discussion so the antis wouldn't "hijack" (in Todd's words) every subject on the forums.

Another thing the group is doing that could backfire on them is targeting local election officials - particularly county commissioners - with the "blame game" for allowing the injection wells.

One of their targets in the recent primary was county Commissioner Kevin Burns. They might be wise to remember (or find out) that Burns, more than any other commissioner, has traveled to Austin and testified before the Railroad Commission about the problems of injection wells in his precinct.

Here's a suggestion for the opponents - place the blame where it belongs - on the individual landowners who allow the wells to be drilled on their property. The well owners have no right of eminent domain (condemnation) to allow the wells to be drilled. They are using an old-fashioned tactic with the landowners - money, and lots of it - for permission to drill on the property.

Another target should be our state Rep. Phil King of Weatherford - chairman of the powerful regulated industries committee in the Texas House. Remember how King used his clout with the Public Utility Commission to force TXU to move a power line after Decatur and Bridgeport objected to its location?

The "insider" is not sure if its ignorance or demogagory, but one thing is for sure - local elected officials can't do anything to control the drilling of injection wells in Wise County.

The ultimate decision rests with the individual property owner who allows the wells and in Austin - where Rep. King and the Texas Railroad Commission hold all the cards.

We all know who the Railroad Commission pays atttention to - and it ain't the Wise County Commissioners Court.

This can't be true ...

The "hoax bomb" discovered this week in a Harmon Park ended up at the police station on the other side of town, confirmed a city official.

How did it get there?

A police officer brought it to the station, the official said.

Gee, we always thought you were supposed to leave bombs where you found 'em and let the experts deal with the deadly devices.

"It's not real smart," admitted the city official.

Inside Wise is written by Publisher Roy Eaton, Editor Skip Nichols, assistant Editor Brian Knox, special projects Manager Denny Deady, sports Editor Robert Morgan and reporters Keri Pritchard, Jeremy Martin and Don Munsch. The Messenger welcomes suggestions for Inside Wise.