Appraiser: property-tax appeals up about 50% since 2020, office seeks two new positions

At a County Commission budget hearing, Brad, the county appraiser, told commissioners that property-tax appeal volume has increased roughly 50% since 2020 and that his office needs additional staff to keep up with certification deadlines.

Brad said the office used to receive about 600–800 appeals per year but has seen more than 1,000 appeals in each of the past three years, peaking at about 1,300 in 2021, about 1,200 in 2022, roughly 1,150 last year and about 1,050 so far this year. "Since 2020, our appeal volume probably went up about 50%," Brad said.

The appraiser described operational pressures that flow from the increased appeals workload: rigid timelines to process appeals so the county can certify the tax roll by June 1, time-intensive fieldwork to list and measure properties, and a lengthy training pipeline for new employees. He said it can take one to two years to onboard a new hire and several more years before staff gain valuation experience.

To address staffing and succession risks, the appraiser's supplemental request includes two Appraiser 1 positions. Brad also noted two anticipated retirements over the next one to two years — one confirmed next year and another uncertain — and said the office is trying to "brace for" those departures by onboarding new staff early.

Commissioners asked whether the office could produce a chart documenting the appeals uptick; one commissioner requested that Brad send the data for review. Commissioners also questioned parcels-per-staff comparisons with neighboring counties; Brad said the office is doing "the most we can with the least amount of human resources" and cited differences in county size and economies of scale.

The budget includes a separate $20,000 line for incentive pay in the appraisal budget. Brad explained the incentive supports staff who complete substantial professional development and certification requirements — about 300 course hours and additional exams and case studies for the Department of Revenue's registered mass appraisal designation — and that the county pays for training and provides an incentive and higher pay when staff advance in classification.

The appraiser's request, commissioners indicated, will be considered with other supplemental requests and in the broader budget process; no formal vote on the request was taken at the hearing.