Laredo Times

Texas property tax bills are coming under the spotlight again.

The state's home value appraisals have skyrocketed, resulting in increased property tax assessments. A recently published report by the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association notes that a key driver in the jump are increases in the amount of spending desired by local jurisdictions.

"The simple truth is no matter what your appraisal, property tax bills would not be going up unless local jurisdictions wanted to spend more money," the group's report said. "Regardless of your 2022 appraisal, right now your 2022 tax bill is zero. Your tax bill won't be set until the jurisdictions in which you reside decide how much money they want to raise and set their tax rates." 

The Texas Taxpayers and Research Association (TTARA) published a report earlier this month detailing the increasing property tax rates across Texas. They noted that Texans should expect to experience "sticker shock" when receiving their appraisals this year but that, ultimately, Texans do have some control over their property tax rates.

Laredo's property tax grew 22.4% from $79.6 million to $97.5 million from 2016 to 2020, according to a report published by the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The combined population and inflation for the city grew 6.8% during that time, resulting in a difference of 15.6%.

According to TTARA, appraised property values are expected to increase across Texas by 20% to 50%. Property values are a key component in the determination of property taxes.