Biscoe looks like the answer for Travis County… Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt’s name moves from the “very likely” category of contenders to take over Austin state Sen. Kirk Watson’s seat at the Legislature to the “almost certain” category with an item on the Commissioners Court agenda for Tuesday. That item would allow commissioners to […]
Travis Central Appraisal District
The tax appraisal district for Travis County.
Posted inEducation
Eight school districts issue warning to TCAD
Eight school districts that depend on the Travis Central Appraisal District to provide them with accurate property values are facing a serious loss of revenue as a result of a decision by TCAD’s chief appraiser not to reappraise residential properties this year. The school districts have notified TCAD’s board of directors that they will be […]
Posted inBudget
TCAD appraisal decision draws Realtors’ ire
On Wednesday, Marya Crigler, chief appraiser for the Travis Central Appraisal District, told representatives of nine local school districts that TCAD would not be reappraising most residential properties this year. That means the school districts, as well as Travis County, Austin and other cities in the county, will not be getting updated information about residential […]
Posted inCourts
Lawsuit claims TCAD hiding sales price information
Protax, which represents property owners who are protesting the property values assigned to their homes, and 10 of its employees have sued the Travis Central Appraisal District alleging the agency has violated the Texas Public Information Act. According to the lawsuit, which was filed Tuesday, “TCAD has an automated pool of evidence it uses to […]
Posted inCourts
Taxpayers sue over lack of appraisal hearings
One hundred and thirty-eight Travis County property owners have sued the Travis Appraisal Review Board and the Travis Central Appraisal District for failing to provide timely hearings on the property owners’ protests of their 2019 appraisals. The two agencies are responsible for deciding the value of Travis County properties and taxpayers’ arguments about those appraisals. […]
Posted inAustin
Appraisal board lets June 4 decisions stand
The Travis Appraisal Review Board voted Wednesday to confirm property appraisal decisions that their individual panels made on June 4, in spite of an attempt by Board Chair Betty Thompson to have all of those decisions nullified and new hearings scheduled. Changes to procedures this year – particularly the elimination of in-person informal discussions between […]
Posted inAustin
‘Statesman’ reporter recounts ‘mistake’ that allowed lakefront properties to avoid paying taxes
Housing affordability is one of Austin’s biggest challenges during this period of economic growth. Even after someone buys a home or rents property, as the value of that property goes up, so does the annual tax bill. But some of the most desirable homes in Austin – a few hundred right on Lake Austin – […]
Posted inUncategorized
Tax wranglers may once again sue appraisers
Once again a battle is brewing between firms seeking to help property owners lower the appraised value on their property and the Travis Appraisal Review Board. The issue boils down to scheduling of hearings with no regard for the fact that an individual tax consultant can only attend one hearing at a time. On Thursday, […]
Posted inCourts
Action ramps up in appraisal district suit
Action continues to ramp up in the battle between the Travis Central Appraisal District and firms representing property owners seeking hearings to lower the appraised value of their properties. Last month, Texas ProTax Austin, Five Stone Tax Advisors, 46 commercial property owners and 113 residential property owners filed suit against the Travis appraisal review board […]
Posted inTravis County
TCAD not giving taxpayers timely hearings
Faced with an unprecedented number of property tax protests, the Travis Central Appraisal District is scheduling formal hearings through the month of December – months after the appraisal roll was certified and tax bills set. Attorney Bill Aleshire told the Austin Monitor that there were 8,881 Travis County properties on which appraisal protests were filed […]
Posted inCourts
Taxpayers sue appraisal district, chief appraiser
Two companies who employ appraisers to represent residential and commercial property owners to challenge appraisals before the Travis County Appraisal Review Board and 159 of their clients have sued the review board and Chief Appraiser Marya Crigler in her official capacity. The lawsuit, which was filed on Monday by attorney Bill Aleshire, alleges that the […]
Posted inHousing
Travis tax appraisers tout new techniques for assessing property values
The Travis Central Appraisal District is figuring out the values of properties faster and more accurately, all while fighting off a record number of protests and lawsuits from taxpayers challenging their appraisals, agency leaders told the Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday. Lonnie Hendry, who heads the district’s commercial property division, described how the agency […]