The Tarrant Appraisal District is ending its membership in the Texas Association of Appraisal Districts.
Appraisal district board members voted 6-3 against renewing their membership at a Dec. 13 meeting, citing the association’s legislative agenda and the testimony of its legislative chair, Brent South, to lawmakers.
“I don’t know how we can belong to a group that’s actively lobbying against us,” board member Matt Bryant said. “It makes no sense.”
Bryant was referring to the state association’s push for lawmakers to resolve a conflict in Texas tax code that simultaneously requires property to be appraised at its market value at the beginning of each year, and states that a chief appraiser must reappraise at least once every three years.
That conflict came under scrutiny after the Tarrant Appraisal District’s board of directors passed a reappraisal plan that moved the district from an annual to a biannual appraisal schedule, prompting questions about whether shifting to a two- or three-year appraisal cycle violated the law.
“We provided your office some language that would clarify that based on the information the chief appraiser has, the chief appraiser shall reappraise annually to make sure we are at market value,” South said to Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, during a Nov. 7 Senate committee hearing. “And I think that’s very important.”
Board member Eric Morris, who was elected by residents in May, was the first to propose ending the district’s membership. He said he understands that not all other appraisal districts agree with TAD’s reappraisal plan, but added that when there is disagreement between members, the state association should remain neutral.
“It is even seen as an ethical issue, since all these members are paying fees to this organization,” Morris said. “It wouldn’t be right to argue for some of your members and against others.”
Morris, alongside elected board members Bryant and Callie Rigney, were the architects of Tarrant’s reappraisal changes. The trio ran as a slate with a shared campaign platform of overhauling how property appraisals are handled in Tarrant County.
They are the first-ever countywide elected members of the appraisal board, after a constitutional amendment approved by voters last year created three new at-large positions. The new board positions are nonpartisan by law. However, many elected members making waves across the state are self-described conservatives.
The district’s reappraisal plan has faced criticism from some lawmakers, school districts and lobbying organizations, including the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association. It has also found strong support from local Republican leaders and several other appraisal districts, including the Johnson and Bexar appraisal districts.
That split has prompted increased discussion about potential legislative changes ahead of the 89th regular legislative session, which kicks off Jan. 14. In addition to South’s testimony, the Texas Association of Appraisal Districts released a list of legislative priorities that include expanding who can serve on an appraisal review board; changing board of director elections from a majority vote to a plurality vote; and opposing any legislation that further politicizes the appraisal process.
In an email, South said his organization is saddened to lose the Tarrant Appraisal District as a member and hopes the appraisal district will reopen their membership in the future.
“I am a bit confused by their reason for leaving, as none of TAAD’s legislative priorities nor any of my testimony mentions ‘opposition to the reappraisal plan passed by the Tarrant CAD Board in August,’” South said.
South added that if an appraisal district is only reappraising property once every two or three years, if there is any change to market values, there is no way that the district can comply with the section of the property tax code that requires property to be appraised at its market value as of Jan. 1 each year.
“Our main goal is to create consistency across the state regarding the laws and rules of the property tax system,” South said. “TAAD has no animosity towards the Tarrant CAD Board or appraisal district and is very hopeful we can move past this and have them return as a member in the future.”
The district’s departure from the association could mean new expenses. As a member, the appraisal district currently receives significant discounts for conferences and training offered by the organization. Board member Alan Blaylock, who voted against leaving the association, estimated the additional cost for sending people to the conference could be as high as $14,000.
It will also mean that the chief appraiser will need to obtain required continuing education credits through another organization, the Texas Association of Assessing Officers. Chief Appraiser Joe Don Bobbitt said while the organization is not traditionally geared toward appraisers, he would be able to obtain training from them nonetheless.
This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.