‘Back To Square One’ On Property Values

The fight for local property values is back.

Quinlan Supt. Larry Johnson told the school board Monday night that the district was "back to square one" after successfully achieving the values for two years.

The difference between what the local appraisal district says property is worth and what the state says it is worth cost the Quinlan school district and other districts in the county millions of dollars in state funds annually for many years.

After appeals to the state each year for years and finally a lawsuit that was settled out of court against the state by the district, local values were assigned over the past two years.

"We fought for years and years. Two years ago, we made headway," Johnson told the board. "This past year, we actually for the first time had higher local values than state values." He said the local value set last year for district property was $517 million. The state valued local property at $513 million.

Johnson noted the addition of Wal-Mart, McDonald’s and auto parts stores to the values last year.

He said the local appraisal district increased the value of property to $557,456,000.

The state increased the value of district property by $118 million to $631 million.

Johnson said the local value represented 91 percent of the state-assigned value and said the state required the difference to be no greater than 95 percent to receive local value.

The superintendent said "the only saving grace" was that the district had received local value over the past two years. By doing so, it could have a grace period of up to two years.

He said if the district had to utilize the grace period to achieve local values, "The third year, they are going to hit us and hit us hard."

Johnson said the tax appraisal district was looking into the difference.

"I don’t think we have a choice but appeal," he said.

He estimated the difference could cost the district between $1.5 and $2 million in state funds.

Of the 11 school districts in the county, two received straight local value — Celeste and Boles. He said Wolfe City, Caddo Mills and Bland were in their second year grace period. Commerce and Greenville still received state values. He said all of those districts were appealing the state’s decision.

Johnson said the figures were temporary estimates. He said final figures from the state would be released in May. Local final values would be known later in the summer after the appeals process.