(Galveston County, Texas) Officials Disagree on Appraisal Cap

Galveston Daily News ^ | February 17, 2005 | Carter Thompson

[anymouse]

Unfortunately us taxpayers can't "turn out" the Texas Municipal League, the Texas Association of Counties at the ballot box. What we can do is demand that our cities/towns and county officials drop their membership in these organizations, which they pay for with our tax dollars. Why should we enable these unelected lobbiests use our tax money to lobby for further taxes being imposed on us?

[anymouse]

Texas tax ping

[hopespringseternal]

I'd like to see the lot of these clowns lined up against a wall. If my salary increased by 10% a year and I was still begging on streetcorners, then it is obvious the problem is with me.

These clowns are having their budgets double every seven years and it isn't enough for them.

[MeekOneGOP]

bump!

[anymouse]

How about a Texas-sized Meek-a-ping?

[MeekOneGOP]

Officials Disagree on Appraisal Cap

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Texas ping list!. . .don't be shy.
No, you don't HAVE to be a Texan to get on this list!

[TXBSAFH]

3% cap or tar and feathers.

[MeekOneGOP]

:^)

[MeekOneGOP]

hahaaa! Yeah.

[Arrowhead1952]

It cites a state comptroller study that the top 10 percent of Texas households, with incomes more than $135,599, were predicted to pay 23.4 percent of the school property taxes, yet enjoyed 27.2 percent of the benefit of the current 10 percent cap.

MALE BOVINE EXCREMENT!!

[bayourod]

Dan Patrick and crew are doing a great job on this issue. But it is so difficult for voters to educate themselves about candidates for local office that it is difficult to hold them accountable for their actions.

This would be a great cause for the Texas Federation of Republican Women to adopt because they have chapters in all the rural counties that don't get good radio coverage.

[texgal]

I have lived in Friendswood and the surrounding area for more than 28 years. The attitude at Friendswood City Hall is that if you were not there before the dirt was brought in, then you and your opinions don't matter - just shut up and pay the taxes. I was even told at the appraisal district the last time I was there to protest my property taxes that if I couldn't afford to pay them, then I shouldn't be living in Friendswood! I was protesting an increase of 72% in the appraised value of my home over a period of 10 years, thereby causing my property taxes to increase to more than twice what they were when we bought the home.

These folks haven't seen a tax increase they didn't love and try to implement. Most of them have no interest in seeing the property values lowered as most of the council and the former mayors have been involved in real estate sales, real estate development, etc. It is in their best interests to see the appraised values as high as possible.

Every time their budget is threatened we hear the cry that our streets will not be paved or some other disingenuous statement from the folks at city hall. They are going to try, once again, to implement a 1/2% sales tax for "economic development". That was tried once before in the late 1990's and folks stood in line for HOURS to vote it down. It was overwhelmingly rejected then and hopefully it will be again.

Hats off to Edd Hendee at KSEV radio for holding the city manager, Ron Cox, accountable.

[JohnnyZ]

Property tax caps just make new homebuyers and low-growth areas subsidize longer-term homeowners and high-growth areas.

Instead, everyone should be treated equitably, taxed on the full appraised value of their property, whatever that comes out to.

It's pretty sickening to hear someone whose house has doubled in value whine about having to pay more taxes than someone whose house hasn't doubled in value.

[JohnnyZ]

I was protesting an increase of 72% in the appraised value of my home over a period of 10 years, thereby causing my property taxes to increase to more than twice what they were when we bought the home.

So you think you should pay the same tax for your 300k house that someone whose value hasn't grown is paying for their 200k house? That's preposterous. It's a property tax paid on the assessed value. If you want lower taxes, lower the rate for everyone, don't be demanding a special deal at other peoples' expense!

[Ronaldus Magnus Reagan]

It sounds like they re-appraise your house on a yearly basis? Wow!

Here in Pennsylvania (3% state income tax) we only get re-appraised about once every 20 years. Same at the New Jersey seashore, where we have a vacation home.

[Ronaldus Magnus Reagan]

I guess you guys in Texas are talking about the millage rate for property taxes? Here in Pa. the millage rate goes up (for everyone) but the assessed value stays the same.

[bgsugar]

The appraisal cap issue is a lot more complex than a lot of folks admit. Recent studies, including the legislative report by the Hill subcommittee for Speaker Craddick in January, show NO evidence that caps will do anything other than shift burdens from one group to another. Caps also shift control from local government to the state for revenue while the state and Feds keep pushing unfunded mandates down to local govt. on expenditures. No win deal for the locals while the state boys can claim they are "supporting lower taxation."

The Harris County (Houston) Republican Executive Committee just rejected caps and supported a 7 point accountability plan that could actually help to create a fairer and workable solution.

The resolution they passed is:

Resolution Supporting a "Seven Point Plan" Legislative
Agenda for Property Tax Relief


WHEREAS, Property taxes for most home owners in Texas have increased at a rate greater than 100% during the past ten years, a rate which is higher than the cost of living and higher than normal pub¬lic provided benefits to the typical home owner; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Executive Committee of the Harris County Republican Party supports the following agenda for Property Tax Reform:

1) Require an automatic reduction of the same percentage in tax rates equal to any increase in average tax appraisals; and

2) Require a super-majority vote of 75% of a governing body for any increase in the property tax burden; and

3) Require full public disclosure of real property sales, including the sales price, the financ¬ing and all other terms and conditions of the sale; and

4) Permit the second level of property tax appeals to be heard in Small Claims Courts with¬out reference to the amount; and

5) Require higher and more consistent competency requirements for appraisal district per¬sonnel, especially appraisers; and

6) Enforce strict ethics policies in the tax appeal process at the Appraisal District level; and

7) Make tax rollback elections easier to initiate; and

be it further

RESOLVED, That this resolution be sent to all members of the Harris County Republican Delega¬tion, all members of the House and Senate Committees addressing property tax legislation, all Republi¬can auxiliary organizations in Harris County, and posted on the web site of the Harris County Republican Party.

MR. CHAIRMAN, I move the adoption of this resolution.

PASSED by the Executive Committee of the Harris County Republican Party on the 15th day of February, 2005.

[bgsugar]

The appraisal cap issue is a lot more complex than a lot of folks admit. Recent studies, including the legislative report by the Hill subcommittee for Speaker Craddick in January, show NO evidence that caps will do anything other than shift burdens from one group to another. Caps also shift control from local government to the state for revenue while the state and Feds keep pushing unfunded mandates down to local govt. on expenditures. No win deal for the locals while the state boys can claim they are "supporting lower taxation."

The Harris County (Houston) Republican Executive Committee just rejected caps and supported a 7 point accountability plan that could actually help to create a fairer and workable solution.

The resolution they passed is:

Resolution Supporting a "Seven Point Plan" Legislative
Agenda for Property Tax Relief


WHEREAS, Property taxes for most home owners in Texas have increased at a rate greater than 100% during the past ten years, a rate which is higher than the cost of living and higher than normal public provided benefits to the typical home owner; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Executive Committee of the Harris County Republican Party supports the following agenda for Property Tax Reform:

1) Require an automatic reduction of the same percentage in tax rates equal to any increase in average tax appraisals; and

2) Require a super-majority vote of 75% of a governing body for any increase in the property tax burden; and

3) Require full public disclosure of real property sales, including the sales price, the financing and all other terms and conditions of the sale; and

4) Permit the second level of property tax appeals to be heard in Small Claims Courts without reference to the amount; and

5) Require higher and more consistent competency requirements for appraisal district personnel, especially appraisers; and

6) Enforce strict ethics policies in the tax appeal process at the Appraisal District level; and

7) Make tax rollback elections easier to initiate; and

be it further

RESOLVED, That this resolution be sent to all members of the Harris County Republican Delegation, all members of the House and Senate Committees addressing property tax legislation, all Republican auxiliary organizations in Harris County, and posted on the web site of the Harris County Republican Party.

MR. CHAIRMAN, I move the adoption of this resolution.

PASSED by the Executive Committee of the Harris County Republican Party on the 15th day of February, 2005.

[Texas Chrystal]

Hey!! I don't need this! I just signed a contract on my first house!! The Tax Man is going to eat me alive!!
:-)

[MeekOneGOP]

Well, then ..... congrats and welcome to da CLUB! :^D

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