AUSTIN — Two years ago, at tax time Bexar County appraisers calculated the value of a ritzy San Antonio resort at about $270 million. Owners of the JW Marriott disagreed, arguing the property, which includes a luxury hotel and private water park, was less valuable. The company ultimately prevailed, knocking $36 million off the value and lowering its property tax bill by hundreds of thousands of dollars. Last year, the resort reportedly sold for more than $600 million — more than double its taxable value. As property owners across Texas receive their notices this month of their tax values, appraisers are bracing for another round of appeals by hotels, office buildings and oil refineries making use of a 22-year-old law that has been wildly successful at knocking down their taxable values. More Information Taxable values reduced in protests and lawsuits related to equity appeals in 2018, by county: Bexar County: $4.1 billion Dallas County: $11.9 billion Harris County: $12.1 … [Read more...] about This Texas law knocks over $1B off property tax bills
Harris county tax office
Texas among states with highest property taxes
By R.A. Schuetz Published 10:47 am CDT, Thursday, April 4, 2019 A Spring Heights Home. The taxes on a home with average market value in Texas were among the highest in the country. A Spring Heights Home. The taxes on a home with average market value in Texas were among the highest in the country. Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff Photographer Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Image 1 of 1 A Spring Heights Home. The taxes on a home with average market value in Texas were among the highest in the country. A Spring Heights Home. The taxes on a home with average market value in Texas were among the highest in the country. Photo: Elizabeth Conley, … [Read more...] about Texas among states with highest property taxes
At Kamala Harris’ Houston rally, former Beto O’Rourke supporters weigh a new option
By Jasper Scherer Updated 3:07 pm PDT, Saturday, March 23, 2019 Kamala Harris speaks at Texas Southern University’s Rec center during her rally as she runs for president, Saturday, March 22, 2019, in Houston. Kamala Harris speaks at Texas Southern University’s Rec center during her rally as she runs for president, Saturday, March 22, 2019, in Houston. Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle / Staff Photographer Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle / Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close Image 1 of 15 Kamala Harris speaks at Texas Southern University’s Rec center during her rally as she runs for president, Saturday, March 22, 2019, in Houston. Kamala Harris speaks at Texas Southern University’s Rec center during her rally as she runs for … [Read more...] about At Kamala Harris’ Houston rally, former Beto O’Rourke supporters weigh a new option
O’Rourke outpacing Cruz in Bexar County early returns
By Sig Christenson and John Tedesco Published 7:53 pm CST, Tuesday, November 6, 2018 Straight-ticket voting powered an early commanding lead for Senate challenger Beto O’Rourke over Sen. Ted Cruz, with the Democrat taking close to 60 percent of the vote with early and mail-in ballots from Bexar County. Libertarian Neal M. Dikeman trailed in third place. Statewide, the Associated Press reported that O’Rourke was slightly ahead of Cruz, with 1 percent of all precincts reporting as of 7:49 p.m., or a little more than 3.3 million votes. In other contentious races Republican Chip Roy edged his Democratic challenger Joseph Kopser for Rep. Lamar Smith’s District 21 seat, with Libertarian Lee Santos in a distant third. There was a total of 415,292 early and mail-in ballots cast in the county. Incumbent Republican Will Hurd led Gina Ortiz Jones, a Democrat, in District 23, commanding more than half the vote, with Libertarian Ruben Corvalan in third. In other … [Read more...] about O’Rourke outpacing Cruz in Bexar County early returns
Kamala Harris’ trip to Iowa stirs up Obama-like energy
By Casey Tolan | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: October 23, 2018 at 5:30 am | UPDATED: October 24, 2018 at 8:20 am DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowans are accustomed to a parade of high-profile politicians showing up at pizza parlors, community colleges and farm bureaus to mingle with voters and woo local party leaders long before the state kicks off the presidential campaign season. But Sen. Kamala Harris’ arrival this week is stirring up the kind of enthusiasm that Democrats say reminds them of another first-term senator whose upset Iowa caucus victory jump-started his path to the White House in 2008. “I haven’t seen that kind of energy since Barack Obama,” Sean Bagniewski, the chair of the Polk County Democrats, said Monday night after Harris fired up several hundred people inside a Des Moines ballroom on her first trip to Iowa since she volunteered here for Obama a decade ago. While she’s not on the ballot for … [Read more...] about Kamala Harris’ trip to Iowa stirs up Obama-like energy