Hardin-Jefferson County Tax Forum

05/07/2023

2023, same as 2022. More legal theft called property taxation. No real help or solutions from Austin.

Did your taxes go up? How much?

06/01/2022

New year..same old bologna from the CADs.

1. Appraisal districts, at least Hardin, is taxing non-taxable items. If you have any addendums for items in sale such as farm equipment etc. These are being taxed in perpetuity. My CAD confirmed this today which is shocking to say the least. Anyone else with similar experiences?

2. My CAD now requires formal, legal documents signed at beginning of meeting. I commented that these are "formal, legal documents" to which they said...."SO." I then responded.."isn't this meeting informal?"

3. Retaliation. For example, if your value was at 100k but the district lowers your value to a say 90k. You file with ARB asking for 85K instead of 90K they found to be market, ARB finds against your value and then CAD raises up to original 100k. Is this a violation of the law? i can tell you 100% this is happening.

4. When did feelings matter. My appraiser said multiple times i bought my property for a good deal. The property was on the market for a year or more....i paid Fair market value which was accepted from seller, whom i do not know personally. Yet, they tell me i got a good deal.

So i am questioning if the CADs are deviating even further from established precedents and Texas code than they have in prior years.. Thoughts?

By the way, while i was waiting in the small (3 seat) waiting room several elderly came in. They were explaining to the desk lady their income last year was only like 3K and the CAD went up on their property by leaps and bounds when their was nothing new done. The person asked how they are supposed to pay? The desk person said use a payment plan. I felt so sorry for these people....if this happened just in the 20 minutes i was waiting i wonder how bad it really is.

06/15/2021

Rep. James White has announced he is running for a new position and thus not running for re-election of his current representative position. Anybody know who is going to run or who he is endorsing?

05/30/2021

Possible meet-up this coming Saturday at my home in Lumberton. This is not informational but to determine what we do next and how best to do it.
Please message me if you are free, want to come and are willing to do a little work to help us move forward with things (whatever they are).

If you have emailed me already no need to re-send message.
thanks

05/29/2021

It is simply not feasible to do a large statewide Property Tax event without help. We need help and funding.

The GoFundMe contains most all the information people will need I think. Please let me know if you think something should be added or edited, particularly for those who are not informed on property tax issues.

I would ask everyone here to please share and pass this along on to every person, group, etc. you can.

Without proper funding this event is dead before it starts.
God Bless

Property taxes are bleeding Texans dry! o Are you fed up with Texas property tax laws that kee… Kelly Weeks needs your support for Texas Property Tax Forum

05/28/2021

New Facebook Banner is Up.

05/27/2021

Sad but true

05/27/2021

FYI. A strategic decision was made to change the group and page name slightly to include, in our fight, our brothers and sisters in Jefferson County.

05/26/2021

Update 2 for the day. Just got off the phone with Mark Goloby (see video link post below from the 24th). What a nice guy! Depending on event date, he is very much interested in speaking at the event.

05/26/2021

BIG UPDATE:
We are changing tactics away from legal. We are going to focus on a 2nd much larger community meeting; this one not limited to Hardin but ALL homeowners and property owners in Texas. Its main focus will be on eliminating property taxes although we will still have people discussing ways the current system is flawed and broken.

I can't do this alone. I will need a LOT of help. I will eventually put out another updated post asking for help in specific areas.

However…. I reached out to a few folks to see interest in speaking. I can't say who just yet but you all know most of them VERY WELL. I am pretty sure at least 2 will come. There is third who is possible and interested but wants more information as it evolves. This 3rd person is extremely well known in Texas and will help us easily make state level news if not national. YES!!!! I have several others that are thinking it over and leads on a few more. Most of these people I contacted even said "Yeah I read about ya'lls event.." Nice!

This could be HUGE everyone; we could easily have enough speakers to make it a day long event. We will of course need to change venues. Its time to see where the rubber meets the road and who is willing to invest a little time, energy and $ to make this happen. I am going to do some math, but its not going to be cheap ☹

05/25/2021

Here is something interesting that may help your protest. Hardin CADs Depreciation schedule is from Swift & Marshall. I have an older copy that even has that stated at the bottom. This is used to calculate effective age. However, They are using a 70 year life for most homes. This is DESPITE Swift & Marshall (S*M) and American Society of appraisers clearly saying that Frame homes of Good or Average quality are at 55 years life. Heck even a solid Masonry home is only 60 years.

This is VERY IMPORTANT and it drastically affects your depreciable amount used and thus your overall tax liability.

Another example of HCAD using industry guidelines when it suits them. Them tossing industry guidelines, and using their own made up standards, when that suits them.

I even wrote S*M directly and got them to put in writing that even a masonry home would NOT be at a 70 year life.

Absolutely ridiculous.