West residents impacted by the fertilizer plant explosion are one step closer to getting a tax break.
Property owners will be allowed to have their properties reappraised to deduct damage. The McLennan County Commissioners Court voted unanimously for that move. This will be for the 2013 tax year.
A bill signed by Governor Rick Perry last Friday, now allows for property owners in the disaster area in West to qualify for reappraisals. Under the former law, reappraisals were only allowed in natural disaster areas. The new bill, House Bill 585, will allow damage in any disaster area to qualify for reappraisals.
The county is estimating that explosion destroyed about $40 million dollars worth of property that will come off the tax rolls in those reappraisals. There is a bit of a silver lining, however. The county will not have to pay for the actual reappraisals. The lost revenue will be factored into next years budget.
West city council will be next to vote on the issue in July.
