Newton County appraisers outline changes to assessment notices, appeal deadlines under House Bill 581

Marty Kennard, Newton County chief appraiser, and Veronica Hardy, assistant chief appraiser for the tax assessor's office, told residents the county’s annual notice of assessment will no longer include an estimated taxes-due amount and explained how property owners can review and appeal valuations.

The change matters because the notice shows the county’s assessed fair-market value for each property and is the starting point for filing an appeal. "When you receive that assessment notice, please look at it. Look at the value that's on there," Kennard said. Residents have a limited window to contest the value if they believe it is incorrect.

Kennard and Hardy said the notice will continue to show the previous-year value, the new fair-market value and any exemptions, but will not display an estimated tax amount. Instead, property owners will see an estimated rollback rate on the notice. "Just please know the main thing we need for you to know is to look at the value,…