Hello neighbors, I guess it’s time to catch up. As you know, I work for the Appraisal Review Board.
It’s a seasonal job for the state of Texas. We have the legal responsibility to listen to property tax protests and to determine the fair market value, after listening to testimony between the Appraisal District appraiser and the property owner. Sometimes we hear 75 property tax protests per day. The Property Tax protest season is May through October.
When I’m not working for the ARB, I am trying to do the maintenance, repairs and upgrades that I feel my home needs. During the coldest part of winter, my 40-year old bathroom heater decided to quit working. Fortunately my handyman Roger replaced it with a new one. My HVAC heating system was acting up but fortunately, Ruben the HVAC tech was available and the heat was on. We have lived in Oak Hollow Park for 20 years. I have always been unhappy with poor lighting in my Garage. Roger updated my electrical outlets and now my garage gets bright when I turn on the garage lights.
Last November, my wife and I were on the fence how to we should vote … I was looking forward to paying a lower property tax bill, but my wife was hesitant, believing if we pay less property taxes, our local public schools will suffer. Now it is about 4 months later; Yes, my property tax bill is lower, but listen to the news, some schools are closing, teachers are losing their jobs, fewer teachers with more students per classroom.
Now the City and County don’t have enough money to fund the 2026 proposed budget
All property owners that successfully protested their (tax year) 2025 property taxes were promised that their 2026 property tax value would not increase. Now we have the Mayor in San Antonio, stating that the city budget was going to be $1,000,000 less than needed. More financial woes: the new Spurs project was voted in and the County needs to come us with more than a billion dollars.
But they cannot raise market value appraisals to collect more money.
How are the City and County going to collect millions or billions more money?
I can only see one possible way! Please view the 2025 Total Tax Rate used to calculate property tax bills.
When the County raises the Total Tax Rate, every property owner’s property tax bill will increase even if the appraised market value does not increase, and that is how the City and County will pay their commitments.
What can you do if you don’t want a higher property tax bill?
You should protest your 2026 proposed property taxes to keep your property tax bill from increasing.
Please find videos I created, giving you examples on “How to successfully protest your property taxes” online @ OakHollowPark.com/tax/.
Watch Elmer’s three videos: 1- Property Tax protest preparation. 2- The Informal Hearing. 3- The Formal Hearing.
