ABOUT NELDA

NELDA WELLS SPEARS
STEADY LEADERSHIP IN TIMES OF CHANGE

Nelda Wells Spears’ steady leadership in times of change has given Travis County the most effective tax office in Texas — an outstanding record praised by her peers and backed up by the numbers.

• A 99 percent tax collection rate, the state’s highest among urban counties
• More than $2 billion a year in revenue to fund public schools, public health, and public safety
• 500,000 registered voters for the highest registration rate in the state — 94 percent in the last presidential election — and counting
• 1.3 million annual tax and fee payments
• 730,000 customer-friendly license plate renewals each year, with expanded service hours at more than two dozen sub-stations

But the impact of Ms. Spears’ public service goes beyond statistics. She has set the standard for making a positive difference throughout the community. And now more than ever we need a proven leader who knows how to get the job done, safeguard vital public services, and hold the line on new taxes — with honor and humility.

A native of Austin, Ms. Spears graduated from historic L.C. Anderson High School and went on to earn her bachelor’s degree from Fisk University in Nashville and her master’s degree from the University of Memphis.

Ms. Spears was appointed Travis County Tax Collector in 1991 and won election to the office the next year. She has been overwhelmingly re-elected three times and was the top vote-getter on the Travis County ballot during the presidential election of 2004.

Prior to her career in elected office, Ms. Spears worked for U.S. Senator Ralph Yarborough, the Texas icon, and U.S. Senator Al Gore, Sr., the respected father of the nation’s future vice president. She was a top aide to legendary State Comptroller Bob Bullock, worked in a variety of administrative support and management positions for Land Commissioner Garry Mauro, and served at the side of State Rep. Wilhelmina Delco,

As Tax Collector. Ms. Spears has earned a reputation for using technology to provide high quality, low-cost customer service and strict accountability to the taxpayers who foot the bills. Among her innovations are online credit-card capabilities for tax payments, neighborhood sub-stations, and drive-thru service for most transactions.

Recognized around the state for her record as Travis County Tax Collector, Ms. Spears was recently given the prestigious Best Practices Award for Exceptional Delivery of Services by her peers in the Texas Association of Counties Leadership Foundation. She also won the prestigious 2007 Computerworld Magazine Honors Laureate for her redesigned website and efforts to improve access for taxpayers and small businesses.

Ms. Spears is certified as a Registered Texas Assessor-Collector by the Texas Board of Tax Professional Examiners. She belongs to the Tax Assessor-Collectors Association of Texas (TACA), Texas School Assessors Association, Texas Association of Assessing Officers (TAAO), and the International Association of Clerks, Recorders, Election Officials and Treasurers (IACREOT).

An active member of the Greater Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Austin and the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Ms. Spears has two adult children and four grandchildren.