Harris County tax assessor outlines property‑tax lifecycle, new prepayment option and outreach plans

Annette Ramirez, Harris County Tax Assessor‑Collector, told the city Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee on July 8 that her office manages roughly 1.7 million property‑tax accounts and collects for more than 80 taxing jurisdictions, including the City of Houston. She described the annual property‑tax lifecycle, protest deadlines and several upcoming service changes designed to reduce delinquencies.

Ramirez outlined the calendar that governs value setting and collections: the Harris County Appraisal District’s appraisal work runs primarily January through May; an equalization and protest period runs May through July (property owners generally must protest by May 15 or within 30 days of the appraisal district’s mailing date); taxing jurisdictions then receive certified values and set tax rates between July and October; tax bills are typically mailed in early November; payments are due by Jan. 31 and become delinquent on Feb. 1; and a 20% collection penalty may be added to delinquent accounts on July 1.

Key figures and services: Ramirez said the tax office processes roughly 4 million vehicle registration transactions…