A group of frustrated taxpayers has accused the Gaines County appraisal office in Texas of showing favoritism toward its staff and board of directors.
“Why is it that property values of these individuals have not went up one penny and mine have gone up every year?” County Chairman David Neufeld asked the district’s board of directors, according to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
Chief Appraiser Gayla Harridge denied any bias.
“It’s not unusual for properties to remain at the same value from the previous year, regardless of which they belong to,” she said.
Neufeld recalled catching an error on his 2011 home appraisal that incorrectly measured the home by 600 square feet, and then misclassified it. A lengthy appeals process helped correct the error, he said, but he was denied a request for reimbursement that reflected overpaid taxes for three years.
“We’re losing confidence in our public officials,” Neufeld said. “Can you be trusted to do the job you’re doing?”
Another resident questioned why his small home on minimal acreage is valued at $120,000 saying, “Now that I’ve come up here and protested, is my appraisal going to go up?”
Attorney Tony Ellison denied that suggestion, claiming when people protest, there is no retribution suggesting perception is one thing, and reality is another.