HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 026 (3) INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 23-026
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council February 7, 2023
ram° Page 1 of 2
a
i7 Y
rrn SUBJECT: CITY'S ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROVIDING OVERSIGHT
TO APPRAISAL DISTRICTS
The purpose of this informal report is to provide an overview of the City's limited role in governance
and oversight of the appraisal districts that serve the City.
The system of countywide appraisal districts was created in 1979, with the appraisal district in each
county established as a separate political subdivision of the state. By design, the system separates
the power to appraise properties (performed by the appraisal districts) from the power to assess
taxes based on those appraised values (which each taxing unit performs).
Under Chapter 6 of the Texas Tax Code, which governs the creation and administration of appraisal
districts, the City of Fort Worth and other taxing units have limited input/influence in an appraisal
district but no control or direct supervisory authority. (Note: A member of a taxing unit governing
body, such as the Fort Worth City Council, could be nominated and elected to serve on an appraisal
district board, but an employee of a taxing unit may not. If elected, a City Council appraisal district
board member would represent one vote out of five).
The ways in which the City and other taxing units can exercise their influence generally require
adoption of a resolution and consist of the power to:
1 . Nominate candidates to the appraisal district board — both during the biennial process and
in the event of a vacancy.
2. Vote on board candidates.
3. Prevent a board-approved proposed change to:
a. The number of board members; and/or
b. How the board members are appointed.
4. Change:**
a. The number of board members; and/or
b. How the board members are appointed.
5. Initiate a recall process of a member of the board for whom the City cast votes.
6. Vote on a proposed recall of a board member for whom the City cast election votes.
7. Cause the terms of board members to be staggered.**
8. Approve the acquisition of real property or the construction or renovation of a building or
other improvement by the appraisal district.**
9. Disapprove a district's board-adopted budget (within 30 days of its adoption) and require the
board to adopt a new budget.***
10.Change a district's fiscal year.**
11 .Prevent a board-approved proposed change to the method for allocating the district's
operating costs among the taxing units it serves.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 23-026
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council February 7, 2023
ram° Page 2 of 2
a
i7 Y
rrn SUBJECT: CITY'S ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROVIDING OVERSIGHT
� TO APPRAISAL DISTRICTS
12.Cause a change in the method for allocating the district's operating costs among the taxing
units it serves.**
13.Revoke any board-adopted action (within 15 days of when the board took the action).***
**At least three-fourths of all taxing units in a district must take this same action for it to be
effective.
***A majority of all taxing units in a district must take this same action for it to be effective.
If you have any questions, please contact Richard Zavala, Interim Director of Planning and Data
Analytics, at 817-392-6222.
David Cooke
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS