The mission of the El Paso Central Appraisal District is to accurately and equitably interpret the market value of all taxable property in El Paso County.
It is the philosophy of the El Paso Central Appraisal District that, when treated fairly and with professionalism, the public is willing to pay their fair share to support the services provided by local government.
"Professionals Putting People First"
The mandate for countywide appraisal districts resulted from the 1979 Legislature. In 1981, the Legislature identified appraisal districts as political subdivisions of the State of Texas. The law (S.B. 621) required that all counties in Texas implement these districts no later than 1982. Because a mass appraisal had been completed in El Paso County in time for the 1980 tax roll, the El Paso Central Appraisal District went into operation one year earlier (1981) than required by law in order to continue an adequate maintenance program for the already revalued properties in El Paso County.
The El Paso Central Appraisal District is responsible for maintaining and appraising all property, both personal and real, at market value, providing staff support and documentation of said values to the Appraisal Review Board and ultimately providing a tax roll for each of the active taxing jurisdictions in El Paso County. The District has the responsibility for the administration of an ad valorem distribution system that produces around 720 million dollars annually in tax receipts for the support of local government and other taxing jurisdictions.
The Board of Directors is the governing body of the Appraisal District and is comprised of nine (9) members who represent the taxing jurisdictions in the County, and are appointed by the governing bodies of the jurisdictions with voting entitlement – that is, counties, school districts and incorporated towns and cities. The Board’s primary responsibilities as the governing body of the Appraisal District are the selection of the Chief Appraiser, the establishment of an appraisal office, adoption of the operating budget for the District, and the appointment of Appraisal Review Board officers and the Taxpayer Liaison Officer as required by State law for appraisal districts with a population of 125,000 or more.
Link to Board of Directors
The Executive Director/Chief Appraiser is the employment authority for the District. The Chief Appraiser also is responsible for preparation of the District's budget. She has the authority to contract with a private appraisal firm with the approval of the Board of Directors. She oversees the administration of exemptions, renditions, valuation of all property and equalization of values. She is responsible for preparation of all appraisal records and for presenting them to the Appraisal Review Board. She is further responsible for notifying property owners of increases in values and for notifying each taxing unit of the total value within the taxing unit and of values of individual property within the taxing units, and, after review by the Appraisal Review Board, certifies the appraisal rolls.
Link to Community Outreach
The Appraisal Review Board is a quasi-judicial Board. The ARB is a separate body from the appraisal office and serves a different function. It hears and resolves disputes over appraisal matters. The ARB only has authority over matters submitted to it. In resolving taxpayer protests the ARB can make changes or set a value. Finally, the Board is responsible for approving the appraisal rolls, prior to certification by the Chief Appraiser.
Link to Appraisal Review Board
