Wednesday, November 29, 2023

COUNTY TAX OFFICE OFFERS HELP TO GET HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS

By Stefany Rosales
KRGV.Com

Property owners in Cameron County got some big help on Tuesday as the tax office held an event to educate homeowners about Homestead Exemption.

First timers had a lot of questions and that's one of the reasons why the event was put together. Close to 150 people showed up for help.

The Cameron County Tax Office says thousands of people aren't claiming their homestead exemption, and they want to make sure they take advantage.

The Cameron County Tax Assessor Collector's Office says more than 12,000 people in the county don't have homestead exemptions.

"That told us, you know what, that's a lot of people still that haven't applied," Cameron County Tax Assessor Collection Tony Yzaguirre said.

Yzaguirre says people are already seeing a lower property tax bill this year after the legislature increased the homestead.

This comes after residents across the Rio Grande Valley saw a major increase in their property value

After applying, residents could see savings between $900-$1,200 on their property bill, depending on the value of the home.

But first they need to meet some qualifications, like the property needs to be under their own name and they can only have one homestead.

Applications will still need to go through the Cameron County Appraisal Office, but a majority of them get approved. Homeowners will then start to see those savings roll in.

It should take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks to know if you were approved. If you've been a homeowner for years, you can still qualify for that credit and if you already paid this year's property tax bill without homestead, you can get a refund.

Those who didn't get a chance to make it to the event can still go to any of the 11 tax offices in Cameron County.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Homestead Exemption is a drop in the bucket in comparison to the continuous excessive increase of property taxes in general. Just wait, another increase for this year is forth coming.




Anonymous said...

7.56 am you are right, property values will increase once again as per new land sales selling at very high prices, these are the comparbles the CAD uses to increase property values, as i have already seen the appraisers out and about in the county, cant they wail till Janauary 2024? Hambrentos.

Anonymous said...


Too late for the over 65 homestead exemption protection from the new property values assigned this year.

Hopefully a refund can be done if you property taxes were increased and you hadn't filed the homestead exemption for over 65.

So lets say your yearly property tax on your residence was $2000 but the new values assigned raised your taxes to $5000.

Now you get a bill for $5000 property tax and you faithfully pay it but never noticed you had not claimed the over 65 homestead exemption.

Your out of luck.

Maybe the tax office can back tract and refund the over payment.
Good luck.

Meanwhile some properties get a zero tax bill because they are historical or they are churches, parsonages or religious retreat homes.

Not very fair.

Anonymous said...

about time it was kepth secret to all the poor property owners. gracias tony

Anonymous said...

Grandstandding now that he finds himself in the middle of the race to keep his
cushy job along with his commadre Syliva. De los dos no se hace uno!

This should be an automatic process for los viejitos if they really are interested in helping out.

Anonymous said...

Too late to help anyone in Brownsville. The city of Brownsville doesn't give a damn, just like the BISD asking the voters to increase taxes on property owners.

Anonymous said...

Its like the teachers double pay raise, pura raqueta para los mas mamones del estado (TEDEJAS). TEACHERS!!! they only work 5 months out of a year, UNBELIEVALBE AND THEY GET TWO DOS, PAY INCREASES, FOR WHAT, NOT WORKING 12 MONTHS!!!

they just got a 9 days off for turkey day (wearetheturkeys) and are getting ready for a 21/2 weeks xmas vacation. WOW. NOBODY BUT NO BODY IN THIS UNIVERSE GETS THIS MANY PAID VACATIONS. INSANE!!!
and I forgot new years another week offffffffff WITH PAY... QUE MAMONES!!!! REPLACE THE BISD ELECTED OFFICIALS HERE. VOTE ALL OF THEM OUT OUT OUT!!!!!

THIS IS THE TIME THE SO CALL TEACHERS VOTE TO GET THEIR FAVORITE COMMISSIONERS ON THE BOARD SO THEY CAN VOTE FOR MORE PAY INCREASES WHICH THEY DON'T DON'T DESERVE!!!

Anonymous said...

That’s the job of Appraisal District not the Tax Office, someone is playing politics. Maybe because elections are around the corner and trying to get brownie points.

Anonymous said...

You idiots who critize teachers, what the 7734 upside down, would you do if
your spoiled kids were not in school all day. Where would you leave your brats? That is why you cry about vacation days off since you can't figure out what to do with your brats that are home for so many days. Teach your brats to become productive at home when they are off and get off the phone and games and have chores to fulfil at home every day they are home. We had chores every day and at night we would make our own Christmas tree decorations with homemade goodies and had fun as a family doing them to decorate our small Christmas tree-twig we could afford to buy at the Toriz Christmas Stand.

My grandmother coming over to help was a great joy, for we were not at our grandma's everyday being babysat as most idiots do when their kids are out on vacation. In fact, unless you are unemployed and on welfare checks, where would you be if it had not been for the education your teachers tried to provide for you when you were a brat yourself. Stop putting down the
teachers, for without them, where would we all be???

rita