MOMENTUM September 2020 | Page 32

TAXING MATTERS CHERYL E. JOHNSON, PCC Galveston County Tax Assessor Collector & Voter Registrar [email protected] Don’t Wait Until the LOVE LETTER ARRIVES! The June Momentum issue entitled “Time to Weigh in on Texas Taxes” provided great information about the assessment phase of the Texas tax calendar. Recall, assessment is the process of tax assessors calculating, local governments proposing and adopting tax rates, a tax roll being created and a tax bill being mailed. By the time the bill arrives, both the equalization/protest process and assessment processes have passed and it is too late to do much more than complain. The questions some politicians may ask are: “Why didn’t you protest the value or show up for tax rate or budget hearings? Why didn’t you send an email or call?” The response by those of us in the County Tax Office will be is, “Gee, I am so sorry. I understand. The amount due is $xxxx – would you like to pay in full or participate in one of our payment options?” You see, it is simply too late (unless there is an obvious error) to change the bottom line. You will hear that the Legislature promised lower taxes (it did – school district tax rates are at an ALL TIME low and the State has bellied up to the table to pay their fair share). You will also hear that the Legislature made the process more transparent than ever before (it did). Indeed, this year – the burden is yours and, as has always been the case, the responsibility is yours. It is YOUR responsibility to protest the value. It is YOUR responsibility to show up and voice your opinion at government hearings – or, this year for the first time - to take advantage of the opportunity on the County Tax Office website (www.galcotax.com under the Truth in Taxation link) to obtain the names, email mail address and telephone number of EVERY elected official in 30 MOMENTUM the county. It is YOUR responsibility to visit the county appraisal district website RIGHT NOW (in Galveston galvestoncad.org under the Truth in Taxation link and in Harris County harrispropertytaxes.org) to see how much the taxes are proposed to be and send input – right from those CAD sites – to the official contact for each and every government. Why, you ask, is the bill so high? The Legislature lowered spending limits and established automatic elections if exceeded. The answer is the values increased (and many governments did increase rates). Take a look at the Galveston County values over the last five years. (Chart) YEAR TOTAL TAXABLE VALUE INCREASE OVER PRIOR YEAR 2016 $25,883,105,838 Base for this example 2017 $27,578,633,004 6.6% 2018 $28,390,117,665 2.9% 2019 $30,457,356,934 7.3% 2020 $34,056,352,975 11.8% Yes – values in 2020 increased 11.8% overall and very few of you protested that increase. Yes, there was $671,060,341 in new value added to the appraisal roll. That means the values increased 9.6% on existing properties. No – that doesn’t make you feel any better. But I will tell you what will – get it off your chest now. Visit the CAD “tax transparency” websites and make your voice heard. And, when you vote in the November election – take time to go to the VERY BOTTOM of every ballot – there are bond elections and sales tax ratifications and local government seats up for grabs. Hate taxes – vote against the tax increases and support people who share your opinion. My opinion? It isn’t their money – it is YOURS! The time is NOW to have a say in keeping it in your pocket. Weigh in before it’s too late.