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Dallas County Tax Assessor/Collector John R. Ames, CTA, and Dallas County Appraisal District (DCAD) Property Records Exemptions Manager Patricia Nixon provided information on property tax options, payment plans and deadlines during a community meeting with Farmers Branch residents on Thursday, March 6 at Farmers Branch City Hall.
Ames addressed several key concerns regarding property tax payments, focusing on deadlines, deferrals, exemptions and consequences of delinquency.
"The payment deadline is January 31," Ames emphasized throughout the presentation, highlighting this critical date on all informational slides.
For those seeking exemptions, Ames clarified that approved exemptions are applied to property records by the Appraisal District, which then notifies the Tax Office. If tax amounts change based on exemptions, corrected statements are issued with adjusted amounts due. Refunds for overpayments exceeding $5 are typically processed within 30-60 days, though larger refunds over $5,000 may require additional time.
Several payment plan options were outlined for different circumstances:
After the 47-slide presentation that explained the property tax system, Ames and Nixon answered questions from homeowners concerned about significant jumps in their property assessments.
"We understand valuation and we also understand our tax rates at the different entities," one resident stated before asking about factors like desirability and depreciation class, and whether these elements could be contested during the protest process.
Ames acknowledged these as legitimate factors in property valuation but noted that a comprehensive explanation of the valuation process would require "another 50-page slideshow."
Residents also asked about the benefits of filing protests themselves versus hiring companies to represent them. Nixon emphasized that property owners are often best positioned to protest their valuations.
"Who knows your property better than you do?" Nixon said. "You're the one who lives there and raises your family there."
Ames explained that while property owners can hire companies to handle protests, those firms typically charge a percentage of any valuation reduction. Ames noted that the appraisal district doesn't track success rates for protests, as the goal is accurate property valuation rather than "winning" or "losing" cases.
Many residents expressed frustration over perceived inconsistencies in property assessments. One homeowner described significant valuation increases after years of stability, with jumps of "8 percent, 20 percent, 15, 60, 50" percent in recent years.
Another resident questioned why neighboring properties with similar or better features might have significantly different valuations. "There are certain sections that have not been reassessed in a very, very long time," the resident claimed, suggesting potential inequities in the assessment process.
Nixion explained that total market value is the primary consideration, with land values and improvement values being components of the overall assessment. She pointed to rapid gentrification in Farmers Branch, where smaller homes are being purchased and demolished to make way for larger new constructions, driving up land values.
"When you run out of property, you start taking things down," Nixon said, explaining the market dynamics that can lead to seemingly disproportionate land value increases.
Several residents raised concerns about classification inconsistencies, particularly for new homes. One homeowner questioned why recently built properties in the same neighborhood would receive different classification codes. Ames responded that factors like square footage and amenities can lead to different classifications even among new constructions.
The meeting also addressed exemptions, with Ames explaining how homestead and age-related exemptions work. Homestead exemptions are for five years and need to be renewed every five years. He clarified that senior citizens over 65 have their county and school taxes capped, which can lead to significant differences in tax bills between neighbors depending on when they qualified for age-related exemptions.
Ames and his team concluded the meeting by emphasizing several key deadlines, including the protest deadline and payment due dates, while encouraging residents to reach out to the appraisal district with specific property concerns.
For more information, Ames directed residents to several websites, including www.dallascounty.org/tax, www.dallascad.org, www.Texas.gov/propertytaxes and www.comptroller.texas.gov/taxes.
Ames emphasized that the March 6 meeting was solely to inform residents about property taxes, and a separate meeting would need to be scheduled to address the valuation process specifically.
City Councilmember Tina Bennett-Burton suggested residents request such a meeting during the next council session.
Editor's Note: The Branch Herald intended to livestream this meeting on Facebook and download it onto YouTube, but Ames refused to allow recording and allow any resident conversation. As a result, the Branch Herald did not video this meeting and regrets the inconvenience it caused Farmers Branch property owners. It is our understanding that he also refused to share his slide deck even with city staff.
