Monday, May 21, 2007
For IMMEDIATE Release

Property Owners Sent Appraisal Letters for Tax Year 2007

State law requires county appraisal districts to notify property owners about changes in their property's value. On May 21st, San Jacinto County Appraisal District mailed almost 12,000 residential property owners letters showing their 2007 proposed appraised value.

Clayton Adams, chief appraiser of the district, reminds property owners that the letter of appraised value is not a tax bill. "Please do not pay -- this is not a tax bill," Adams said.

Adams emphasized the importance of this letter and the key information that it contains. "A property owner has the right to appeal to the San Jacinto County Appraisal Review Board on any disagreement with the property's value, exemptions, ownership and other areas," he said.

The appraisal review board, more commonly called the "ARB," is an independent panel of citizens responsible for hearing and settling protests from property owners who disagree with some action by the appraisal district. The notice includes instructions on how and when to file a protest and a protest form.

What should a property owner carefully review? "Look at the proposed value for 2007," Adams said. "The letter states the land's value and any improvement value for the property for the current year." An improvement is a building, structure, fence or any other type of fixture to the land.

The appraisal letter also includes current year information on exemptions granted on the property. It provides last year's value, too.

Homeowners that qualify for property tax homestead exemptions have a limitation on their homes’ appraised value, beginning with the second year that they qualify their home for homestead exemptions. The appraisal district may not increase their taxable, or assessed, home value by more than 10 percent for each year since the last reappraisal year. A homeowner’s letter states both the appraised market value for the home and the assessed limited home value.

Letters to property owners whose values went up or increased more than $1,000 also will include "estimated" taxes. These "estimated" taxes are based on the new taxable value and last year’s tax rates. Taxing units will set final 2007 tax rates in August and September. Final tax amounts usually vary from these “estimated” amounts.

Adams asks property owners to check the legal description and mailing address to be sure that there are no mistakes. "If the letter has an old address, please let the appraisal district know. The post office forwards mail to a new address for a short time, and tax bills do not go out until October," Adams added.

A property owner is responsible for informing the appraisal district of the correct mailing address. A property owner is liable for additional penalties and interest on a tax bill that is not paid on time.

Adams added, "If you did not get a letter and want 2007 information about your property, please call the appraisal district at 936-653-1450. The general deadline for protesting to the ARB is June 20th for this year."