Truth in Taxation Seminars Letter

July 13, 2005

Dear Property Tax Stakeholder:

The special legislative session currently in progress is considering sweeping changes to how local governments determine their effective and rollback tax rates, adopted tax rates, and the process for informing their taxpayers of tax rate increases. That being said, I believe that it is prudent to postpone our annual Truth-In-Taxation Seminars until the Legislature has concluded its work.

The special session will conclude on July 20th, therefore, we are planning to resume an abbreviated seminar schedule on August 2 in the previously assigned locations. Additional seminars will be scheduled as meeting space and time permit. These new seminar dates and locations are posted on my Window on State Government Web site at http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/proptax/proptax.html.

Although some of you may have already made plans to attend one or more of these seminars, this postponement will give my staff sufficient time to review adopted legislation, modify publications, and ensure that you are provided the most up-to-date information available regarding legislative requirements. My staff will also be revising our Truth-in-Taxation publication to reflect the latest changes made in tax rate adoption by the Legislature and will mail you a copy as soon as they are available.

If you have questions regarding the seminar schedules, or if you need answers to immediate questions such as timing of mandatory tax rate hearings and newspaper notices, or if you need assistance in calculating your effective and rollback tax rate, please call my Property Tax Division toll free at 1-800-252-9121. You can also receive immediate assistance by e-mail at ptd.cpa@cpa.state.tx.us.

Thanks for all that you do for Texas.

Sincerely,

Carole Keeton Strayhorn,
Texas Comptroller