If your property value has changed in the last
year, you should soon receive a notice of your 2010 appraised value from the
Brazoria County Appraisal District. The appraisal district mailed about 120,000
notices on April 16. Your city, county, school district and other local taxing
units will use the appraisal district’s value to set your 2010 property taxes.
State law requires county appraisal districts to
notify property owners about changes in their property’s value. The notice also
contains important information about the property’s location, its ownership and
property tax exemptions that have been applied to the property. It must include
an estimate of 2010 taxes by local taxing units.
Property owners who disagree with the appraised
value of their property, the exemptions or any other action by the appraisal
district have the right to appeal to the Brazoria County Appraisal Review Board
(ARB). The ARB is an independent panel of citizens responsible for hearing and
settling property owner protests. The notice of appraised value includes
instructions on how and when to file a protest, a protest form and the
Comptroller’s Property Taxpayer Remedies. The deadline for filing a protest
with the ARB is June 1 or 30 days after the appraisal district mailed you a
notice of appraised value, whichever is later.
Texas Comptroller Susan Combs’ publication,
Property Taxpayer Remedies, explains in detail how to protest your property
appraisal, what issues the ARB can consider and what to expect during a protest
hearing. The publication also discusses the option of taking your case to court
or entering into binding arbitration if you are dissatisfied with the outcome
of your ARB hearing.
Property Taxpayer Remedies is available from the
Brazoria County Appraisal District at 500 North Chenango Angleton, TX 77515.
The publication is also available on the Comptroller’s Web site at www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/proptax/
or by calling the Comptroller’s Property Tax Assistance Division at (800)
252-9121, ext. 1.