By now, you have likely received another shocker from the Central Appraisal district.

Appraised values are taxing many out of their homes and businesses and our legislators have got to make immediate changes.

Reforming the current appraisal system is badly needed. Please write or call your legislators and ask them to move to a price paid system for taxation (minimally for single family properties but ultimately for businesses too). To really make a difference and combat the exorbitant increases over the past few years, the base value should be pre-pandemic (2019).

In the interim or as a secondary option, they could lower the appraisal cap to 3% and extend it to ALL REAL PROPERTIES. Extending the cap to all real properties will make it fairer.

Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent alike – all people are impacted by ever increasing property taxes. Please take immediate action and ask your legislators to end the crippling appraisal creep that is making it impossible for many to afford to live here.

For a list of contacts and more information, visit https://galvestonchamber.com/end-appraisal-creep.

Steve Conner and Theresa Elliott, Advocacy Co-Chairs of the Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce