One of Bexar County’s first elected appraisal district board members, Robert “Bob” Bruce, passed away on Sunday.
Bruce was closely involved with a number of state and national conservative organizations, including the Heritage Foundation and the Texas Public Policy Foundation, which emphasize reducing the size of government.
As a member of the Bexar Central Appraisal District’s board of directors, he led an effort to give property owners who’ve successfully contested their valuations a one-year reprieve from having their properties reappraised.
The new policy will apply to property owners who successfully challenged their valuation in 2025. In most cases, that lowered market value will roll over to 2026.
“He was a leader in disrupting the status quo,” said board member Erika Hizel, who worked with Bruce on the idea.
Aside from his public policy work, Bruce was the founder of Boerne Stage Airfield, which he and his wife Nancy operated for decades, and sold several years ago. He also started an advertising company.
“Bob had a deep passion for public service and was a strong advocate for sound public policy, guided by his belief in individual liberty, free enterprise, and personal responsibility,” Bexar County Commissioner Grant Moody said in a statement Tuesday. “We lost a titan this weekend, and I lost a dear friend.”
The new, elected appraisal district board positions were created by the Texas Legislature to give residents more insight and influence over the property appraisal process.
Members of the Bexar Central Appraisal District’s board of directors are expected to appoint a replacement to fill the remainder of Bruce’s term.
All three elected positions are supposed to appear on the ballot in November 2026. Filing for those races opens in July.
BCAD spokeswoman Jennifer Rodriguez said Tuesday that the agency is “still coming to terms with his loss, but have begun speaking with legal counsel to ensure that we follow the process set forth by the Texas property tax code.”
