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Feb 22, 2007 9:04 pm US/Central
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Homeowners Protest Property Tax Bill
by Mary Stewart
FORT WORTH (CBS 11 News) ―
Many people feel the home appraisal process in Texas is broken and needs to be fixed. In some neighborhoods in North Texas, property tax values have increased nearly every year, yet others haven't gone up since 2002.
According to recent government reports, people believe the Appraisal Review Boards are not fair and do not tax uniformly. They also believe there are abuses within the system that prove costly to property owners.
Many home owners are thrilled when their property values go up, but that's only good when they're selling a house. When the property tax bill comes, many feel sticker shock.
Caroll Chickowsky of Fort Worth protested her 2006 property tax bill before the Appraisal Review Board. The appraisal value of her home jumped from $140,000 to $225,000 in just two years. That's a 38 percent increase. She said the increase was despite the fact she hadn't made any improvements to the home.
She's not alone. Sixty-five thousand people in Tarrant County protested their property taxes last year. Recent records show property taxes in Dallas went up 49 percent and in Tarrant County, they went up 48 percent over a four year period.
The Appraisal Review Board judges are selected by a board that cities, counties and schools have appointed. The judges are paid by the appraisal district and are supposed to be impartial.
But a recent report commissioned by Governor Rick Perry brings that impartiality into question. It states, "The assumption is that the Chief Appraiser and the Appraisal Review Board work for the taxing entities."
"It seemed to be like the prosecutor picking the jury," said Tom Pauken, Chairman of the Appraisal Reform Task Force. Many taxpayers feel the same way.
Many of the board members are retirees. They don't need to have any real estate or appraisal experience. They don't even need any math education.
"I would certainly think they would need to have basic math skills," John Marshall, Tarrant County Chief Appraiser said. "That's not in the qualifications that are in the property tax code."
In Tarrant County, they get 8 hours of training by the state. The other 26 hours come from the appraisal district you're up against at a protest hearing.
"We shouldn't permit the chickens to elect those who guard the henhouse, rather than the head fox and the head wolf," said tax attorney Dan Blumberg. "The other problem is, the head fox and head wolf presently decide what those who guard the henhouse are going to be paid, and I think that is a problem."
If you also think it's a problem, you've never had to step foot in front of one of these judges to protest your property taxes.
You can come to the appraisal district office. Bring your documents, you might be able to convince a clerk there's a mistake in your appraisal. They can also call in the appraiser who set the value on your property.
If the personal approach doesn't work for you, you can still protest to the ARB. If that doesn't work, you'll have to go to district court.
Chickowsky didn't have to take matters that far. When she hired a lawyer, the appraisal district agreed to lower the value of her home.
"I think that's what everybody's looking for, fairness," Pauken said.
(CBS 11 News)