Thad Moore Jr. has qualified as a Democrat to run for Escambia County Tax Assessor.

Moore said making the decision to run for public office as a difficult one, “but the right one for my family.”

“The decision was difficult because I enjoy the job that I currently have,” Moore said, speaking of his 15-year career as a licensed real property appraiser. “I spent a lot of time praying about it, discussing this with my family, and talking to people throughout the county. Without 100 percent support from my family, I would not have done this. My wife, children, parents, sister and in-laws support my decision. The final validation came when I informed my children of the decision to run for office and they hugged me and told me they were proud of me.”

Moore said an important aspect of the tax assessor’s job is that property values should be determined accurately and fairly.

“This is where my experience kicks in,” he said. “During my time as an appraiser, I have appraised thousands of properties in Escambia County. In each appraisal assignment, it is typical to gather data from the Tax Assessor’s office.

“I have a large amount of experience using the computer programs used in this office and dealing with the employees in this office,” he said. “I feel that my experience is a perfect match for this job. Prior to becoming an appraiser, I had experience managing an office and working with budgets.”

Moore said another important aspect of the job is to run the office with integrity.

“This is a trait that my parents have always taught me,” he said. “They showed me integrity by example. My mother, Cindy Moore, was a schoolteacher and then the registrar at Jefferson Davis Community College. She managed her office with integrity and showed a passion for serving the students.

“My father, Thad Moore, has been a long time attorney in Brewton,” he said. “Above all else, he treated his clients fairly and always maintained his integrity. I hope to follow their example and run the Escambia County Tax Assessor’s office with integrity.”

Moore already serves the citizens of the community by volunteering for his third term on the Brewton YMCA Board of Directors, where he serves as secretary and a past president, and for a third term on the Brewton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He has also served as a youth sports coach and a mentor with the chamber’s youth leadership class.

He is a member and past president of the Brewton Rotary Club and currently serves as the Site Selection Committee Chairman of the Escambia County Habitat for Humanity. Moore also serves as an alternate on Brewton’s Board of Zoning and Adjustments and the city’s ACE leadership committee.

He and his family are members of the First United Methodist Church in Brewton, where he serves on the children’s council and as an usher.

He and his wife, Leigh Lambert Moore, have two children – Rebecca Ann, a fourth grader at Brewton Elementary School, and John, a first grader at BES.