Who oversees TX appraisal districts? Tarrant Appraisal tech failures highlight oversight gap

When a Texas appraisal district is out of compliance with state tax code, there is no clear authority higher than the board of directors to hold the agency accountable.

This apparent oversight gap has Tarrant County homeowners and local leaders wondering how to respond to the Tarrant Appraisal District’s technological failings this tax season.

“I don’t think there’s enough of a mechanism to hold appraisal districts accountable,” said Keller Mayor Armin Mizani.

More than a week into the one-month period property owners are given to protest their appraisal values, TAD’s website -- which hasn’t been fully functional since November -- does not provide the option for automated market review. This tool allows property owners to submit an opinion on their TAD-determined property value and receive an immediate answer.

“I think it’s something that taxpayers have become used to,” said Brent South, Chief Appraisal at the Hunt County Appraisal District and chair of the Texas Association of Appraisal Districts Legislative Committee.

But, the availability of this familiar tool isn’t just convenient; it’s required by statute, South notes.

Section 41.415 of the Texas tax code requires that appraisal districts -- those that have maintained a website since 2008 -- must provide this service to property owners with a homestead exemption. (TAD has had a website since at least 1998).

Currently, there’s no such option on TAD.org.

Earlier this month, TAD unveiled a new website. Since protest notices went out last week, the site has been overwhelmed by traffic, with pages locking up, failing to download or timing out. Users who click on the “Protest Value” button on their account are taken to a form to schedule a hearing.

A TAD spokesperson said Monday that the automated market review tool will be available within 10 days. The protest deadline is May 15. Law said Monday TAD will not extend the protest deadline at this time.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” said Mizani. “They’ve had a while to be prepared and ready for the online protest. For them to now say they think they’ll be able to get it fixed ten days from now, and the protest deadline of May 15, that’s an issue.”

While compliance is required by statute, non-compliance is not punished, said South.

“I don’t thing there’s a lot of teeth to it if it doesn’t happen,” he said.

In terms of appraisal district oversight, the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts reviews the accuracy of appraisal districts’ appraisals. If a property value study, which is conducted every two years, shows a district does not acccurately appraise property, it could affect a school district’s state funding.

But the office does not oversee the districts or their websites.

Appraisal districts could get written up in a Comptroller audit, South said. But that action wouldn’t carry much weight.

“I think the whole process, the whole code, when it’s pertaining to the appraisal process and the appraisal districts needs to be looked at,” said Mizani. “We need our legislators down in Austin to review that.”