The deadline to appeal rising property tax value appraisals passed Monday and before the final count, the number of appeals was running well below the past two years despite big increases in property values.
There was steady customer traffic at the Dallas Central Appraisal District office on Stemmons Freeway, but not as heavy as some years in the recent past when it was hard to find a parking space.
“I think a lot of people do recognize and are happy that their largest asset is increasing in value,” said DCAD official Cheryl Jordan.
The deadline was extended this year since the last day of May fell on a weekend.
As of Monday, 27,320 appeals had been filed in 2014 compared with 48,305 last year and 51,466 in 2012.
Substitute school teacher Tom Baucom was one of the property owners complaining about his appraisal Monday.
Baucom argued the 10 percent appraisal increase on his Dallas townhome was unreasonable.
“More money out of my pocket and as a substitute teacher, if the school kids aren’t in the classroom I don’t get paid,” he said. “I guess one positive of being a substitute is I was able to take off work today and try to save a little money.”
But Beucom is not facing a rising tax bill alone.
According to preliminary figures from DCAD before appeals are completed, 266,037 Dalllas County homes increased in value 2014 compared with 84,034 in 2013 and overall property values were up 9.9 percent.
“We all have to pay our part, and we don’t want anybody paying more than their share but that’s what this process is about,” Jordan said.
