Residents will soon see a preview of what the property taxes — due in October — may look like.
About 138,000 notices are being sent April 1 for proposed appraisal valuations throughout Nueces County, largely related residential properties, said Debra Morin, chief appraiser at the Nueces Central Appraisal District, on March 30.
That includes single-family homes, multifamily properties — such as apartments, townhomes and condos — as well as vacant residential lots, she said.
Residential properties make up about 67% of the total tax roll, Morin said.
The process is a little like a “starting point” to either prepare for the coming cost or protest the valuations.
Here’s what you need to know.
How are valuations determined?
For residential properties, that’s typically determined based on what is considered market value, Morin said — meaning “what properties are selling for within a given neighborhood or complex.”
Who am I paying taxes to?
Property tax is generally the foundation for the budget of many public governmental and academic entities, including the city of Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Del Mar College and various school districts.
There are a total of 37 taxing entities throughout the county, including 13 school districts, Morin said.
The location of a residential property determines which entities property taxes go to, such as which school district, as well as smaller governmental functions such as emergency service districts. Taxpayers can look up the address of their property on NCAD’s website, nuecescad.net, to see a breakdown of the total amount being paid to each.
Information showing a list of property tax rates can also be found on the Nueces County tax assessor-collector section of the county’s website at nuecesco.com.
What can be expected in the mail
Residential property owners can expect to receive a packet in the mail that will outline the process, including a protest form, Morin said.
There will also be information on options and important dates, she said. Protests can be based on a variety of reasons — for example, asserting incorrect market value of the property or denied exemptions — and are filed with the appraisal review board, a form shows.
How to file protests
Residents have different routes they may take if they have questions or disagree with the appraised values, Morin said.
More information or an informal meeting can be requested by going to the NCAD office — located in Suite 206 at 201 N. Chaparral St. — calling 361-881-9978 or filing an inquiry on the NCAD website, Morin said.
Protests may be filed online or by filling out a form included in the notice, and either sending it by mail or bringing it to the office, she said.
When filing a protest, there is an option of having an informal meeting first, state records show.
In the meetings, officials can “discuss the value, how we arrived at value,” Morin said.
The deadline to file a protest is May 15, she said.
Tax rolls are certified July 25.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Your property tax notice is coming. What to know, how to file protest
Reporting by Kirsten Crow, Corpus Christi Caller Times / Corpus Christi Caller Times
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