By Alan Suderman
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

It’s rare that taxes are lowered, and Houston homeowners saw it happen last year. But when the City Council decreased property tax rates, there was little reason to get out the champagne.

Property of . . .
The cut was so small that a bottle of champagne would most likely have wiped out any savings. Plus, homeowners would end up paying more last year than in the previous year, even with the tax reduction. Harris County Tax Assessor- Collector Paul Bettencourt pointed out that Houston area homeowners are still paying slightly more in property taxes on their combined bill due to rising property values.

Older adults of the middle class who have already paid off their homes can face a much higher property tax bill, which in some parts of the county can add up to $12,000 a year or even higher.

Schools in need
Complicating tax matters is the current dance going on statewide between  school districts and the state legislature.More than 100 school districts have asked voters to increase the local school board taxes to make up for a loss in revenue after a 2006 property tax reduction was voted in by the legislature.

State Rep. Betty Brown, a Republican from Terrell, has said that “locally elected officials are rapidly eroding the property tax relief that [the legislature] worked so hard for.”  School officials say the increases are necessary to fund schools at an acceptable level.

‘All those problems have disappeared’
Understanding taxes can sometimes be just as painful as paying them. For the residents at Eagle’s Trace, however, contesting a property appraisal or figuring out how much property tax they owe is a distant memory. Residents pay for a monthly service package that covers almost every cost of living at the campus, including property taxes.