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November 9, 2009

Chief appraiser discusses propositions

By Rich Flowers News Editor

Three of the Constitutional Amendments that won passage from Texas voters dealt with property tax issues.

Henderson County Chief Appraiser Bill Jackson said Propositions 2,4, and 5 would have little effect on his office or property values in the county.

Proposition 2, changes the constitution “to authorize the legislature to provide for the taxation of a residence homestead solely on the property’s value as a residence homestead, regardless of whether the property may have a higher value if it were used for other purposes.

“You could argue both ways. In the past, we’ve always appraised property at its highest best use,” Jackson said. “This way if your home is sitting in the middle of a high-dollar commercial or industrial area, and you didn’t want to move, it eliminates appraising it at its highest best use. It eliminates forcing someone out of their home if they don’t want to sell it.”

Jackson says that type of situation seldom arises in the county. He gave east Tyler Street in Athens as the type of area where the change might come into play.

In that area new businesses have moved into a location that once was predominately residential.

Proposition 3 requires the legislature to provide for the administration and enforcement of uniform standards and procedures for appraisal of property for ad valorem tax purposes.

“We were already trying to comply with Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practices,” Jackson said. “Appraisal districts have been going to that over the past several years. I don’t know why they had to have an amendment for that.”

Proposition 5 amends the constitution to authorize the legislature to allow for a single appraisal review board for two or more adjoining appraisal entities that elect to provide for consolidated reviews of tax appraisal.

Entities the size of Henderson County and its neighbors would not be likely to see it come into play.

“In west Texas where they have a lot of counties with a small number of residents, you might see three or four counties combine into one review board,” Jackson said. “It looks to be a good amendment, and good legislation to put it on the ballot.”

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