In Texas, inflated property taxes is a clever way to circumvent having the taxpayers vote for tax increases. The CAD or central appraisal districts are designed to never win for the taxpayer. One can have all the CAD appraisers on the taxpayers side, but as the CAD only has two votes in a group of tax fund receipients which include the Schools with two, hospital district with two, City budgets with two and County budgets with two, the taxpayer will never win.
True reform will come when the providers of tax funds are equal with those who receive those funds. Local tax increase elections is the only way to equalize this form of secret tax fraud.
I am a trained and tested appraiser, thus the opinion I have is my own. Inflated values does not serve the community, economy, or our future. It is at the root of the current sub-prime mess, because the appraisers did not take into account living expenses, fuel expenses, raises in taxes and insurance to make the total picture of the properties.
When the CAD values a property, it must be based on today’s use as well as the use for the last three years, not a projected value for the purpose of justification of an inflated value.
Lastly, CAD appraisers must be elected and not appointed by cities. This is a gross conflict of interest. Appraisers must also be young enough not to have their taxes frozen due to age. If these reforms are done, cities will have to work within their budgets. Cities will no longer get a blank check to spend money that comes from inflated property values.
In Europe, politicians who vote for a project and there is a cost over-run, must make up the difference out of their own pockets. If we had a similar standard for accountability, taxes could be used with a great deal of care, lest the politician have to pay for the extra costs?
I hope this can be of help.... winstone