State law requires appraisal districts to notify property owners about changes in their property’s value. In April, The Gray County Appraisal District will be mailing property owners notices showing their 2018 proposed appraised value.
Tyson Paronto, Chief Appraiser of the district, reminds property owners that the notice of appraised value is not a tax bill. “Please do not pay – – this is not a tax bill,”
Mr. Paronto emphasized the importance of this notice and the key information that it contains. “A property owner has the right to appeal to the Appraisal Review Board on any disagreement with the property’s value, exemptions, ownership and other areas.”
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.” “The notice states the land’s value and any improvement value for the property for the current year. “An improvement is a building, structure, or any other type of fixture to the land”,
The appraisal notice 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 the taxable value of their home by more than 10 percent for each year since the last reappraisal year. A homeowner’s notice states both the appraised market value for the home and the limited home value (capped value).
Notices 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 2018 tax rates in August and September. Final tax amounts may vary from these “estimated” amounts.
The Chief Appraiser asks property owners to check the legal description and mailing address to be sure that there are no mistakes. “If the notice 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.”
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.
Property owners are encouraged to contact the appraisal district with any questions at the following:
Gray County Appraisal District
PO Box 836
Pampa, TX 79066-0836
(806) 665-0791
If you do not get a notice and want information about your property, please call the Appraisal District at (806) 665-0791. The general deadline for protesting to the ARB is before June 1 or 30 days from the mailing of this notice.