Tom Green County Property Tax Base to Increase by as Much as $1 Billion

"We have 60,000 parcels [of property], of which 30,000 are single family residences. Ninety percent of these have homestead exemptions." Honestly, I don't understand who is getting a homestead exemption. I lost mine when SAISD voted it out several years. What am I missing? As far as I know, I'm getting Jack and S*** for tax relief. Screw that! I think I'm gonna take my hard earned money and family somewhere else - where "progress" is defined by more than just the oil boom. Personally, I'm not seeing any benefits.

Not everyone shares in the "oil boom" economy. But, everyone shares in paying higher taxes. What are you getting for these increased taxes? Old infrastructure - that's what you are getting. Sounds like business as usual for San Angelo. By the way, the appraisal district says property values are going up - but, are they really going up except on their paper?

I just don't understand how the person sitting behind their desk running a program that says raise tax rates, cannot they do it when it will make the taxes go down. Is this program only one way? I for one would like to know the overall criteria these so called people at the TGCAD are using to appraise our property? Sometimes it just sounds like a bunch of bologna, just another person trying to get theirs in an economy already filled with people in my pockets!

I find it amazing that businesses all around San Angelo are hiking their prices simply because of an oil boom. It's flat out wrong. Everybody knows that the oil field pays extremely well, but not everybody works in the oilfield. Apartments are becoming less affordable. Restaurants are taking advantage of the oil field. Local businesses are hiking prices. Now the city is doing the same thing??? What gives? I don't work in the oil field. I'm not young anymore. Currently I have to work two jobs just to make ends meet and even then it's extremely hard. We are acting like everybody in San Angelo has an oil field job and that simply is not true. If people cannot afford to live here then they will move to somewhere where they can. I see people moving out of here at a high rate if things don't change. Then all your going to have is oil field workers left. Like every other oil field town, the oil field comes and then it's gone. When the oil field leaves San Angelo, I see that we will be in serious trouble because there will be nothing left. People are being to greedy and trying to cash in on something that is only temporary. It's not right and it's not fair.

Here we go again! TGCAD decides what your property is worth to them. I 'd gladly sell my property to them for their appraisal rate, 'SHOW ME THE MONEY'. Maybe it's time for that office to be appraised and investigated? How about imposing a special tax on the oil companies and all the needless hotels being built for the couple of years it will take to run out the oil boom? How about fixing some of the worn out, beat up roads in town, instead of widening the hwys for the oil companies?

Everybody just needs to get over it, suck it up and figure out a way to pay it. Grumble all you want, it's not going to make one bit of difference, nobody's going to sell out and move to a happier place with flower gardens and white picket fences, It's coming, it's real and we're all going to pay it at the time it's due just like always.....

TGCAD can't squeeze blood out of this turnip. San Angelo used to be an affordable city to live in for retired people on fixed incomes. Texas already has the third highest property taxes in the country. Now another $409.76 jump in my property taxes. This is ridiculous. Nevada is starting to look good again with a property tax rate of at least 50% less and no state income tax either.

Well stay in touch Yosemite Sam and write with your new address so Christmas cards will make it to in time.... Oh and BTW, the longer you stay here and maintain ownership of your property, just means more you'll be paying at the end of the year.... better sell out now before these taxes go into effect ... :)

Well Doctor, that's not necessarily so. I just registered for the age 65 exemption which will keep the largest portion, school tax, of my property taxes from going up next year. That doesn't mean that the for sale sign won't be going up because I'm sure TGCAD will just push those appraisals to the moon as long as this oil boom keeps going.

If we are raising taxes because there is an oil boom, will taxes go down when there is an oil Bust? Or, will taxes go up then too because of a reduced tax base income.

Taxes will just keep going up as the TGCAD figures out how to spend the 'extra' income being generated. Once the extra income is diverted into the appropriate pockets... err... pet projects... er... budgetary line items (OK, there we go), it will be impossible to simply "do without" in the future (gotta keep seal-coating those roads, rather then actually 'fix' them, after all). It's just like normal income progression as life goes on: the older you get, the more experience you have, the better the job, the more the income, the more nice stuff you can afford. When you hit retirement, if you've prepared well you'll be fine - if not, you'll suddenly find yourself with less disposable income and having to dump the luxuries to simply survive. The theory is that the more money TGCAD sucks out of the tax payers, the more the City of San Angelo can provide... except that I'm not exactly seeing the increase of COSA-provided "benefits" commensurate with the extra money leaving my bank account. Maybe I'm missing something (besides the extra money, that is). The level of money-grubbing and price-gouging (at all levels: personal, commercial, governmental, et al) is reprehensible. But... you'll have that, since it's just people having the means to make money off the circumstances. The local government shouldn't be profiting nearly as much as a result, though. Residential property taxes have literally nothing to do with the oil boom, and the local citizens (who have been, and will continue to be here after it's all over) are the ones getting screwed the most. I also don't work in the oil industry, either... so why should my taxes go up as a result of poor targeting skills? It's just as bad as the Affordable Care Act, because it's essentially screwing the people it was [supposedly] designed to help. Oh well... nothing to see here... move along.

Somewhere the odds have it that with that much money in the county, we should be seeing new roads, refurbish County Court House, and a reduction in home owners tax. However the county will probably be like someone who has lots of money, get greedy and keeps dragging more money to make hardships for everyone who lives in Tom Green County.

A big, very big roar of gratitude goes to the staff of Live who have done a tremendous job on keeping this county informed on what is going on 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. The TV stations just can't get it done. If you have lived here for at least a year, you can recall if something happened on the weekend, you probably wouldn't know of it! Live has changed all of that.

The increased population and money spent in San Angelo increases revenue without any help. Mismanagement of funds already recieved keeps basic infrastructure on the back burner. Why suddenly the property tax increase? Makes me wonder if this isn't an end run around votes to get more tax money for things the citizens may have already decided against.

That's right, just follow the other sheep and submit.

My neighbors and I didn't get a 14% increase; I got a 46% increase. I bought my house in 2012, and since then they've raised my property value twice for a total of a 66% increase. Some of my neighbors, retirees on fixed incomes, had over a 50% increase. I'd better see some maintenance work done around this town...

This is crap, as ours went up 66%. People have to send in their protests. I used to love this town, but more and more we are thinking about getting out of here. I've lived here all my life and I don't like the direction this town is going. I don't understand how it is hitting certain areas of town more than others. I would think the oil boom bs would hit all areas. They just keep taking more and more money away from us and our wages aren't increasing.

If you're spouting off regarding property value increases and you don't own a home, so be it, you have a legitimate reason to be concerned. It's a sign that all costs will increase and we should all be weary. The cost of living is partially based on real estate market value. If you are a home owner, do your homework and protest the increase. I have researched specific data in my neighborhood and zip code and I have had consultations with brokers and appraisers regarding the so-called property value increases. 1. It's not the Tom Green County Appraisal District (TGCAD) that came up with the new property values....to a point. The State Comptroller's so-called 'annual value study' is actually a determination of the States budget shortfall. Revenue from the State lottery is down 8.4%, thus funding for primary and secondary education is down 8.4%. In my humble opinion, this is fishy. It is true that this County is growing because of O&G but a demand market is fleeting and is not a reasonable expectation of true market value. 2. I researched eight (8) random properties (40%) on my cul-de-sac, including mine, and found a range of increased value between 5.21% to 11.53%, an average increase of 8.93%. After I removed the 5.21% outlier, ((someone knows somebody; (The 11.53% increase is not considered an outlier because there is another property with an 11.44% increase)), the average increase is 9.03%. Here are some interesting facts regarding all properties researched: a: There were 2 (two) properties that were listed under 'Homestead Cap Loss' which showed an identical 9.09% increase. So much for the Homestead Act. b: In 2013, the land market value for all properties on my street was $10,000. The new, 2014 land market value for all properties on my increased to $12,000, except two lots. If the two lots in question increased to a land value of $12,000 their over-all property value increase would be ~9.67%. Another oddity about these two properties is that one has the Homestead Exemption (not at cap)and one does not. Curious. 3. It is obvious that an official walk down the street and measure appraisal was not performed. I can state this fact due to the addition of storage sheds in my neighborhood that were added after the official 2011 appraisal and are not included with the current mid-year new value appraisal. That being said, the so-called new value is based on a blanket appraisal. In other words, a statistical model was used to determine the new value of your home. In the world of real estate brokers, a blanket appraisals have ALWAYS been notoriously inaccurate. Any real estate broker will tell you that. If not, they're just trying t o make a sale. 4. There are approximately 30,000 residential homes in the San Angelo inventory. As of 07/04, approximately 420 homes are publicly listed., equating to 1.4% of the available inventory. However, my zip code has a 6.7% available inventory. Location, location, location. 5. Contact the realtor that sold you your home. Ask for: The direct comparables (comps) from 08/01/2013 to 12/31/2013, the direct comps from 01/01/2014 to 07/01/2014, the indirect comps from 08/01/2013 to 012/31/2013, and the indirect comps from01/01/2014 to 07/01/2014. This will give you a true market value. In conclusion: Research 2013 v. 2014 property values on your street: www.tomgreencad.com Research the demand in your zip code: www.zillow.com/san-angelo (only data on the Multiple Listing Service, MLS is provided). If you should decide to protest your new property value: 1. Provide the facts. 2. Offer the willingness to increase your property value by 40% OF THE INCREASE. (i.e. if your value is subject to be increased by 8.4%, offer 3.36% Good luck to all.

I think it is very important that everyone send in their protests. It appears that some areas are being targeted over other neighborhoods. There are so many inconsistencies in the appraised values. Stephanie, thank you for the information you provided, as this is very helpful. If anyone else has suggestions on how to deal with this nightmare, please respond. I think most people feel like it won't do any good to protest, but my thoughts are you have to try. Why sit back and just accept it?