WASHINGTON CO. APPRAISAL DISTRICT’S APPEAL OF ‘INVALID’ VALUES UNSUCCESSFUL
The Washington County Appraisal District lost its appeal to the state about Brenham ISD’s appraised values being considered too low.
the Texas Comptroller.
(courtesy Washington Co. Appraisal District)
Chief Appraiser Dyann White reported during Tuesday’s board of directors meeting that the appeal of the 2022 Property Value Study, conducted by the Texas Comptroller’s Office, was unsuccessful.
The study found that last year’s appraised values for Brenham ISD were 8.2 percent below the state values determined by the Comptroller. If the difference between the state value and the local value assessed by the appraisal district is greater than 5 percent, it is considered “invalid” for the year.
White explained that the subcategory of values that hurt the appraisal district the most in its appeal was farm and ranch with homes, the house and land classification used when there is additional ag land on the property. Those values came in at 16.9 percent below the state. She believes the appraisal district will be successful in the 2023 Property Value Study, as it has raised those category values in line with recent sales.
While there is no immediate action based on the appeal at this time, White said if appraisals are found invalid again for 2023, Brenham ISD could lose state funding. This is because Texas property tax law requires property tax appraisals to reflect true market value; if an appraisal district appraises below that, the state can fund the school using the Comptroller’s values instead of the locally appraised values.
Had the appraisal district won its appeal, Brenham ISD would have received another “grace” year where an invalid score would not affect its state funding.
In other business on Tuesday, the board approved a letter of engagement for Seidel Schroeder to perform the appraisal district’s 2022-23 audit. White also announced that 2023’s appraised values are ready to be certified for local taxing entities and will be released soon. She also gave notice of the appraisal district's office closure beginning on Friday and lasting until August 14th.
If I read this right that they raise taxes on us to get more state money for Brenham school district.
Once again it comes to our attention that the taxes must be raised over and over for bigger and better schools…maybe we should raise taxes on only new homes and new businesses and not give them a tax break. Why tax the citizens have lived here there whole life higher and higher till they have to move to Somerville or further out…
Sooo the whole purpose of raising our taxes in the county is for Brenham ISD to get MORE STATE FUNDING?!?!?
Hoping that all citizens will read this news and finally comprehend that it is the state of Texas which tells each county in Texas exactly how much to raise valuations. Far too many people believe it is the county appraiser, it is not.
The appraiser is tasked with hitting the percentage of value increase set by the state. That job gets tougher every year. More and more rural properties have multiple exemptions to create a very low tax bill. For example, a person may have just acreage valued at over a million dollars but the pay less than $100 total per year in taxes. The remainder of single family dwellings on small lots must then make up the difference to attain the percentage the state comptroller demands. Large commercial buildings are getting tax breaks given by city and county, just for existing.
The tax burden isn’t equal for homeowners vs those who have acreage ag exemption. The smaller New home owners are taking up the slack. Should be shared proportionally.