Lampasas property owners sent appraisal letters for 2008 tax year

Property owners whose property value has increased in the last year should soon receive a notice of their 2008 appraised value from the Lampasas Central Appraisal District. About 8,500 notices were mailed Friday.

Notices on business personal property will be mailed May 12 and May 16. The city, county and school district will use the appraisal district's value to set the 2008 property taxes.

State law requires county appraisal districts to notify property owners about changes in their property's values. The notice also contains important information about changes in a property's location, its ownership and property tax exemptions that have been applied to the property. It may include an estimate of 2008 taxes by local taxing units.

Property owners who disagree with the appraised value of their property, the exemptions or any other action by the appraisal district have the right to appeal to the Lampasas Appraisal Review Board. The Appraisal Review Board is an independent panel of citizens responsible for hearing and settling property owner protests The notice of appraised value includes instructions on how and when to file a protest and a protest form. Deadline for filing a protest is May 31, or 30 days after the appraisal district mailed the notice, whichever is later.

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs' publication, Texas Property Taxpayer's Remedies, explains in detail how to protest a property appraisal, which issues the ARB can consider and what to expect during a protest hearing. The publication also discusses the option of taking one's case to court or entering into binding arbitration if the property owner is dissatisfied with the outcome of the ARB hearing.

Texas Property Taxpayer's Remedies is available at the Lampasas Central Appraisal District, 109 E. Fifth St. The publication also is available at the state comptroller's website at www.window.state.- tx.us or by phoning the Comptroller's Property Tax Division at (800) 252-9121.