According to a Dall
as Business Journal article , the owners of several Dallas-area shopping centers, including Highland Park Village and Preston Trail Plaza, are suing the Dallas Central Appraisal District and the Dallas Appraisal Review Board, saying the method the entities use to calculate tax appraisals violates the Texas Constitution.
According to a lawsuit filed Monday in Dallas district court, the 11 shopping
centers involved in the suit say their 2007 tax appraisals have increased by
more than $150 million over 2006, and in many cases have tripled since last
year. Rather than sit back and take it and pass these skyrocketing costs on to consumers, these shopping centers, who do not enjoy the residential homestead 10 percent cap on appraisal increases, are taking DCAD to court.
Frankford Oaks Shopping Center said that while both Dallas and Collin
counties appraised Frankford Oaks at about $1.63 million last year, this year
Dallas County increased its valuation to $4.8 million, while the Collin County
Appraisal District increased its valuation to only $2.08 million. Go figure!
The lawsuit points to a statute passed by the Legislature requiring that the lower of the two conflicting appraisals be used and the Texas Constitution provision requiring that all appraisals be equal and uniform. This is just one more illustration that the Texas property tax system is broken.
