Why San Angelo Businesses are Facing Steep Property Value Increases and Tax Bills

I've got 5 months before I can retire. Once I hit that magical date, I will be packed and out of this over taxed, low wages town with a smile on my face and never looking back at all you suckers left here to be milked dry...........

Out property taxes are insane! The appraisal district has increased the value on my house 4 times since I bought my house 20 years ago. They are pricing me out of here as well! It wouldn't be quite so hard to swallow if our streets were not in such deplorable shape! What do they do with all that tax money?!

I feel for Mr. Lee's circumstances and for the other business owners who's taxes have gone through the roof. I'm in the same boat as Mr. Lee (pun intended).

My wife and I own rent houses, and we have no choice but to pass on these ridiculously out of proportion increases to the hard working families that occupy our houses. It's not fair to us or them. If you wonder why the rent is so high in San Angelo, it's because of the taxes. The increases in valuation are way beyond a standard 3 percent cost of living increase we expect in our paycheck. It's got to stop.

The article seems to differ from what the State Comptroller's website says.
From the article:
Tom Green County does not set property values. The appraisal district sets property values at the direction of the Texas Comptroller’s office.
From the Comptroller's website:
There are three main parts to the property tax system in Texas:
•An appraisal district in each county sets the value of property each year. A chief appraiser is the chief administrator and operates the appraisal office
•A citizen board, called the appraisal review board (ARB), hears any disagreements between a property owner and the appraisal district about a property's value.
•Local taxing units-city, county, school and special districts-decide how much money they will spend by adopting a budget. Next, the units set tax rates that will raise the revenue necessary to fund their budgets. The adopted budgets and the tax rates set to fund the budgets determine the total amount of taxes that a person will pay.

I don't know which County official gave the information that they are not responsible for the valuation increases, but it seems to contradict the Comptroller's statement. It's time for these taxing entities to start living within their budgets.

I protested the tax increase on my home and got no where with it. The land value went up about 3500.00 and I ask how could the land go up when there no no lots in the area to compare it too? Most of these patio home were built in 2007. All are about the same sq. footage. So land just magically goes up? I was assured it was from sales around me. I told the man at the appraisal district he only had 2 street , both sides with patio home and the other street just had one side with patio home to compare too. The total for home and land in 2015 was $156,000 now it's 175,000. There have not been any improvements done unless you consider painting one bathroom a big improvement project. The man next door paid $175,000 for his house in Sept 2016. He has does major improvements on the inside which do no count and it's up for sale. Was asking 199,000 for it which I personally thought was a long shot and I looked at the realtor website and it's down to $175,000. That's a huge loss on there side. They have put all new flooring, new paint, re-done the back yard, installed a water softener, and believe me the new floor made a tremendous difference if you had seen the other one. His was valued at more than what he can sell it for. Problem is the guy I talked to really did not care what I had say. He gets paid to do his job and he's not worried about if he can help anyone or not as long as he gets his paycheck. I feel sorry for all the small businesses. San Angelo is running them all off. Mom and Pop business are a thing of the past. Alot of us grew up with those type businesses and our kids or grandkids will never know what it's about.

The "taxable value" on my home has more than doubled in just a few years. Eventually, when people start moving out of San Angelo and businesses start closing, maybe they will see the problem. There's no way I can afford to stay here if this continues. For some reason, I thought there was some limit on how much the value increase could be each year. Obviously, the law changed or they are just ignoring it.