Residents in Harker heights are reporting huge increases on property tax land valuations.
Property owners are reporting as much as 5,000 percent increases.
Chief Appraiser with the Tax Appraisal District of Bell County Marvin Hahn said they have been made aware of the problem areas.
“We are going to review what we have done in that area on those 50 or so properties and making some final decisions before the appraisal review board meets toward the end of June,” Hahn said.
Charlie Mcgorry "That one acre has gone from 11,000 dollars appraisal to 290,000 dollars appraisal value."
That means instead of paying five hundred dollars a year in property taxes Charlie McGory is now paying more than 7,000 dollars a year.
And he's not the only one along FM 2410 in Harker Heights to have this problem.
"Three of the properties were tremendous increases. A 1.8 acre track was $17,000 and increased to $496,000. We can't afford that," Property Owner, Mary Mcdowell said.
The city says there's a simple reason for the increase in appraised value.
"The property tax law in the state of Texas is to be at market value and sometines to get to market value you have to make some significant increases," Hahn said.
Not only are the property owners being affected, but those business on the property are too.
Ben Gillilan owns Grizzly Lawn and home and has rented land from Mcgorry for roughly 10 years.
"To get an increase for rent could potentially be devastating," Gillilan said.
Business owners could see their rent go up causing concern for many of them.
"Just for my landlord to break even, it would have to be 400 dollars more a month for me," Owner of Opa's Schnitzel Hut, Wally RedElk said. "I actually had someone approach me to go look at a place in Belton. I haven't done that yet because my heart is here."
The last day toprotest your tax valuationis May 31 or 30 days after you have received your notice.
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