Blog

Several weeks remain before the release of the report prepared by the House Select Committee on Property Tax Relief and Appraisal Reform, but the early word is that it will recommend big changes to the current appraisal appeal system. After numerous meetings around the state, Chairman John Otto (R-Dayton) has identified one of the biggest perceived problems as lack of independence of the Appraisal Review Board. As one of several recommendations to address this, he (and the committee) will recommend the creation of a pilot program in which a board made up of MAI appraisers will hear protests of commercial property valuations over $1,000,000 from Harris, Dallas, Bexar, Travis, and Tarrant counties.  I asked Representative Otto whether this would replace the right to file an appeal for judicial review, and he confirmed for me that the order of this review board would be appealable using the same remedies currently available to appeal any Appraisal Review Board order. More to come...