For the past decade, homeowners have paid dramatic increases in appraisal values, tax rates and/or bond packages that translate into higher property taxes
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By Peter Stern
What are state officials doing about it?
Naturally, the best way to provide property tax relief is to revamp and/or eliminate the current Property Tax & Appraisal System; however, that is NOT the most expedient path towards "more immediate" relief.
Taxpayers need a legislative "Pepto-Bismol" for immediate relief because every year during May and June, whether or not it is justified, appraisal districts attempt to increase values that continue to skyrocket property taxes.
For the past decade, homeowners have paid dramatic increases in appraisal values, tax rates and/or bond packages that translate into higher property taxes.
While there is an appraisal cap of 10% on residential property, sometimes appraisal districts have no fear or difficulty proposing more than that amount.
Appraisers and Appraisal Review Boards (ARBs) seem to have little compassion or ethics when it comes to dismissing taxpayers’ protests, and so, every year more homeowners are faced with unaffordable monthly mortgage payments, ongoing increases in cost of living expenses and the threat of foreclosures, which currently are the highest in Texas history – with no end in sight.
Yes, several years ago lawmakers approved a token relief package that is supposed to provide a 33-percent decrease in property taxes over a three-year span.
However, that has become a placebo relief as taxpayers find their property taxes rising much faster than their incomes.
Consequently, REAL property tax and appraisal relief are desperately needed now.
Lawmakers are scheduled back at the Capitol in mid-January. It is imperative that they communicate with the governor and each other regarding options that are needed to provide relief to overburdened homeowners.
After 10 years of ongoing increases, Texas homeowners can NOT hang-on for another decade.
In addition, last year lawmakers approved the bill to eliminate property taxes for 100-percent Disabled Veterans and voters approved it in the last election; however, legislators did NOT provide the means to do so. Consequently, there will not be any relief for this needy population prior to 2010.
Since officials don't do the right thing, Texans must demand legislators to provide immediate property tax relief.
Contacts:
Governor Rick Perry: http://www2.governor.state.tx.us/contact/
Senate: http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/Members.htm
House of Representatives: http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/welcome.php
Peter Stern of Driftwood, Texas, a former Director of Information Services, university professor and public school administrator, is a political writer published frequently throughout the Texas community and nationwide. Mr. Stern is a Disabled Vietnam Veteran. He holds three post-graduate degrees.
2 comments:
And add to that the mistakes that the Hays County Appraisal District made this year. Everyone needs to look at their appraisal very carefully especially if you are a senior citizen.
Peter,
I can't say that I disagree, but if you reduce property taxes, what do you proposed replacing it with? If we reduce property tax, than the typical answer is an income tax; or increase the sales tax, or create a consumption tax, etc.
Are you ready to pay an income tax that would no doubt be accompanied by the property tax (though hopefully reduced, at least for a while?)
Could we expect that the spend happy politicians (Democrats and Republicans) in Austin (or DC) would not take the additional revenue and find new and even more creative ways to waste it on programs that do not serve their constitutional functions? Such as bailouts for anyone? Or social programs that creates a nanny-state for not only individuals but corporations as well? Whatever happened to self-determination and rugged individualism?
I know, in such instances "people suffer" and we can't have that especially since that would make people responsible for their own actions of having a job, or being skilled in a trade that is needed; instead of depending on the redistribution of wealth that seems to be the theme of the day in DC (and no doubt Austin too).
Well, as I said, tax relief would be nice, but to reduce one is to invite another - or even better, reduce tax and reduce spending - cut government programming - get rid of the gas tax, institute toll roads, and make driving the privilege that it is meant to be. (That is one hell of an libertarian argument, and I am not even libertarian, I think.)
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