Taxpayers Shocked with High Property Appraisals from Maverick County Appraisal District, Have 30 Days to File Protest
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2022
The Maverick County Appraisal District (MCAD) issued a press release to local taxpayers notifying them to expect high property appraisals for the 2022 tax year with up to 25 percent increases over the 2021 appraisals, according to Maggie Mata-Duran, Chief Appraiser at MCAD.
Mata-Duran stated the MCAD “will begin the process of sending out appraisal notices on April 21, 2022. The Texas Property Code requires all Appraisal districts in the State to appraise property at 100 percent of market value.”
Mata-Duran added that “the District has been acquiring and analyzing sales data throughout the year to determine the market value on all the properties within Maverick County. In the last two years, our office has seen an influx of property values, and during the pandemic, the demand for housing and home prices increased drastically.”
Mata-Duran stated “in analyzing these sales, we have to raise property values up to 25 percent from 2021 to 2022.”
Maverick County property owners have begun receiving their 2022 Notices of Appraised Value and many are totally shocked by the extremely high appraisal values of their properties. One Maverick County taxpayer who requested anonymity stated the 2021 appraisals were also significantly increased and the new 2022 appraisal values being increased by another 25 percent or greater is devastating on them being able to pay the Ad Valorem property taxes.
Another taxpayer noted that property owners who are on a fixed-income, Social Security, disabled, elderly, retired, or low income may face a lawsuit from local taxing entities for delinquent taxes and seek to sell their property at an auction. 
Many Maverick County property owners received appraisal value increases up to 488 percent last year in 2021 with very few of them filing a protest with the Maverick County Appraisal Review Board or failed to file a request for Arbitration or file a lawsuit against the MCAD in state district court challenging the appraised value of their property.
Maverick County property owners who disagree with the MCAD 2022 Notice of Appraised Value of their property have the right to file a “Notice of Protest”with the MCAD on or before May 15, 2022 or within 30 days from the date the Appraisal district notice is delivered—whichever date is later.
Some Maverick County taxpayers are discussing forming a non-profit organization to address the extremely high appraisal values in Maverick County and to educate and assist property owners with filing protests of their appraisals such as in other cities and counties in Texas.
Other taxpayers are discussing about speaking to the local taxing entities, including the City of Eagle Pass, Maverick County, Eagle Pass Independent School District, and Maverick County Hospital District, and their publicly elected officials to review and reform the local Appraisal district procedures, not increase Ad valorem property taxes, and approve remedies or measures of relief for taxpayers.
Professional property tax specialists throughout Texas recommend property owners who disagree with the Notice of Appraised Value received from their county Appraisal district should file a “Notice of Protest” with their Appraisal Review Board within the May 15, 2022 or 30 days after delivery of the Notice deadline.
In Texas, many taxpayers are joining forces to elect publicly elected representatives who will listen to, support, and take all necessary actions to provide relief or remedies to property owners concerning these runaway and unconscionable property appraisals that affect their ability to afford their homes and properties. The mighty vote is the best leverage taxpayers have against the continued rising property appraisals and ad valorem taxes.
