WASHINGTON CO. APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD TO CONSIDER APPEAL OF STATE’S PROPERTY VALUE STUDY
The Washington County Appraisal District Board of Directors will vote Tuesday on submitting an appeal regarding the Texas Comptroller’s 2022 Property Value Study results.
The Washington County Chief Appraiser has reviewed the state’s data from the study conducted by the Comptroller’s Property Tax Assistance Division (PTAD) and believes there is sufficient evidence to support filing an appeal.
The item comes as the PTAD found the appraisal district to be too low in residential property values overall for Brenham ISD. Values must come within 95 – 105 percent of the Comptroller’s opinion of value to be considered valid; Brenham ISD’s overall ratio was 91.8 percent.
The Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins & Mott law firm will assist in the appeal. It will be funded from the appraisal district’s litigation fund in the amount of $7,500, but there could be additional cost if the appeal must go to the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
Also on Tuesday, the board will hold a workshop on the proposed 2023-24 appraisal district budget. The budget is projected at $1,632,220, an increase of $109,220 from the previous adopted budget.
Professional and contracted services are the primary driver for the increase in the budget, as they are slated to increase by $110,320 from the current budget. Personnel costs are also higher by $84,900, but they are nearly offset by $82,900 less in budgeted costs for supplies and materials. Other operating costs are also $3,100 less when compared to the past budget.
The second budget workshop will be held on March 28th.
The board will also consider a contract with Compu-Data International for digital preservation services to digitize records. The proposed contract cost is $26,160 for three years of services.
There will also be a vote on whether to approve a 2021-22 budget amendment to designate $112,677 in surplus funds for various purposes, including the addition of an appraisal assistant position for $45,000.
The board will meet Tuesday at 10 a.m. in the appraisal district office at 1301 Niebuhr Street.
While I would never have thought I would be saying it, I have to be thankful that the Washington County Appraisal District is contesting the comptroller’s ‘opnion of values’ for residential properties. I find it to be hypocritical that the state markets itself as a place for businesses and out-of-state transplants to come and live and build their businesses and dreams and sells the idea that property taxes are low, but if you are a homeowner or property owner already in place, you certainly know that is an outright lie. At least we know that the Texas Lottery is going to solve all of the problems of educational funding in…oh, wait…sorry. At least we know that legalized sports betting is going to solve all of the problems of educational funding in…