Robles Takes Over Helm as Interim Tax Assessor-Collector

After 17 years of service in the Chief Deputy Tax Assessor-Collector seat for Tom Green County in San Angelo, Becky Robles has been appointed interim County Tax Assessor-Collector by the Commissioners Court following the death of her friend, coworker and predecessor in the role, Cindy Jetton.

Robles has worked in the county tax office since the age of 16, and has been in just about every role throughout her years of service. When Cindy Jetton fell ill, Robles was called in to run the office, experience that will help her in the transition, she says.

Citing years of experience, Robles said her new role is “like just coming in for a regular day at work.” Robles has appointed her successor, Frances Reed, and expects the biggest part of the transition to be training as she and Reed move into their new positions and work with other staff.

“It will take a bit of training around here, because I will move around clerks into different positions,” Robles said. “It will take a while to train and get everybody used to the new positions that I put them in. We will be in traini

ng mode for months…before I actually leave the position that I’m in now.”

As Chief Deputy, Robles was responsible for inventory and was the head of other clerks. As County Tax Assessor-Collector, she’ll be required to prepare the annual budget, answer questions from the public and head a new team of clerks.

While she is excited about her new position, Robles reflects on the sadness of the circumstance that led to her appointment.

“This would have never happened if I hadn’t lost my friend and my boss,” Robles said. “That’s of course a tragedy, and I’ll always have a heavy heart for that. I will never forget the reason that I’m here. The reason that I’m here is that I lost my friend.”

County Tax Assesor-Collector is an elected position, and in order to be considered, Robles had to express an interest with a letter of qualification. On Thursday at 4:30 p.m., Robles will be sworn in to her new position in the Commissioners Court meeting room.

“I am already bonded to run the office as interim, but I have to have other bonds as well to be Tax Assessor,” she said.

Robles will serve as interim till the end of the year. In November, officials from both parties will nominate their choices for the 2016 election, which Robles hopes to win.

Reflecting on how she got started, Robles said, “I’ve actually worked in this office since I was 16-year-old. I worked in an office education program when I was in high school, and I worked here part time during the day. I did have to leave for 16 months because it’s just a school position and I had graduated, but I came back in 1988,” she said. “I started working at the counter, dealing with the public and was promoted to the deal room…[since then], I’ve just worked my way up. This is really the only job I’ve ever had.”