Texas Public Information Request - Property Tax Increase

Good evening,

The Lubbock Central Appraisal District received your public information request for “A copy of records/correspondence/related to how the decision to increase property tax values in Lubbock County this year was reached.” The District has over 160,000 property accounts. Each year the District must assign an appraised value to each of these accounts. In addition, there are many different types of properties, and they are not necessarily appraised in the same manner. Therefore, a request for records and correspondence related to the yearly appraisal is very broad.

If you could clarify or narrow this request, it would assist the District in responding and reduce the time necessary to fulfill the request, as well as the charges that may be made under the Public Information Act. For example, you could narrow or clarify this request by being more specific about the types of records you request. Alternatively, you could narrow the request to a certain type of property, such as single-family homes or hotels.

Further, some of the information you are requesting is confidential as a matter of law. Unless you remove confidential information from your request, we will need to request a decision of the Attorney General about the withholding of this information, further delaying a response.

Please consider this a request to clarify or narrow your request. Pursuant to Section 552.222(d) of the Texas Government Code, your request will be considered automatically withdrawn if we do not receive a written response from you within sixty-one (61) days from the date of this email.

Sincerely,

Monica Buescher

Public Information Coordinator

Communication/Procedures Administrator

Lubbock Central Appraisal District

<mailto:piarequest@lubbockcad.org> piarequest@lubbockcad.org

Sec. 552.222. PERMISSIBLE INQUIRY BY GOVERNMENTAL BODY TO REQUESTOR. (a) The officer for public information and the officer's agent may not make an inquiry of a requestor except to establish proper identification or except as provided by Subsection (b), (c), or (c-1).

(b) If what information is requested is unclear to the governmental body, the governmental body may ask the requestor to clarify the request. If a large amount of information has been requested, the governmental body may discuss with the requestor how the scope of a request might be narrowed, but the governmental body may not inquire into the purpose for which information will be used.

(c) If the information requested relates to a motor vehicle record, the officer for public information or the officer's agent may require the requestor to provide additional identifying information sufficient for the officer or the officer's agent to determine whether the requestor is eligible to receive the information under Chapter 730 <https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/GetStatute.aspx?Code=TN&Value=730> , Transportation Code. In this subsection, "motor vehicle record" has the meaning assigned that term by Section <https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/GetStatute.aspx?Code=TN&Value=730.003> 730.003, Transportation Code.

(c-1) If the information requested includes a photograph described by Section 552.155 <https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/GetStatute.aspx?Code=GV&Value=552.155> (a), the officer for public information or the officer's agent may require the requestor to provide additional information sufficient for the officer or the officer's agent to determine whether the requestor is eligible to receive the information under Section 552.155 <https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/GetStatute.aspx?Code=GV&Value=552.155> (b).

(d) If by the 61st day after the date a governmental body sends a written request for clarification or discussion under Subsection (b) or an officer for public information or agent sends a written request for additional information under Subsection (c) the governmental body, officer for public information, or agent, as applicable, does not receive a written response from the requestor, the underlying request for public information is considered to have been withdrawn by the requestor.

(e) A written request for clarification or discussion under Subsection (b) or a written request for additional information under Subsection (c) must include a statement as to the consequences of the failure by the requestor to timely respond to the request for clarification, discussion, or additional information.

(f) Except as provided by Subsection (g), if the requestor's request for public information included the requestor's physical or mailing address, the request may not be considered to have been withdrawn under Subsection (d) unless the governmental body, officer for public information, or agent, as applicable, sends the request for clarification or discussion under Subsection (b) or the written request for additional information under Subsection (c) to that address by certified mail.

(g) If the requestor's request for public information was sent by electronic mail, the request may be considered to have been withdrawn under Subsection (d) if:

(1) the governmental body, officer for public information, or agent, as applicable, sends the request for clarification or discussion under Subsection (b) or the written request for additional information under Subsection (c) by electronic mail to the same electronic mail address from which the original request was sent or to another electronic mail address provided by the requestor; and

(2) the governmental body, officer for public information, or agent, as applicable, does not receive from the requestor a written response or response by electronic mail within the period described by Subsection (d).

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 1035, Sec. 15, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1187, Sec. 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 296 (H.B. 1497 <http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/80R/billtext/html/HB01497F.HTM> ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 762 (H.B. 2134 <http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/84R/billtext/html/HB02134F.HTM> ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 835 (S.B. 46 <http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/84R/billtext/html/SB00046F.HTM> ), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2015.

Good morning,

We are working on a cost estimate for you. There are approximately 98,000 accounts for single family homes. In your reply to our request for narrowing or clarification you stated, “Can you provide some details on what confidential information you are referencing-I may modify to remove.”

We believe that sales information given under a promise of confidentiality (Sec. 552.101 Tx Govt Code, Sec. 22.27 Tx Tax Code), sales information received from the Multiple Listing Service, a private entity (Sec. 552.149, Tx Govt Code), the names and addresses of confidential owners (such as judges, police, crime victims) (Sec. 552.101 Tx Govt Code, Sec. 25.025 Tx Tax Code), and interior photographs (Sec. 552.155, Tx Govt Code) are all confidential and cannot be released. Please let us know if you wish to modify or further narrow your request to exclude these matters so that our cost estimate is as accurate as possible.

Please consider this a further request to clarify or narrow your request. Pursuant to Section 552.222(d) of the Texas Government Code, your request will be considered automatically withdrawn if we do not receive a written response from you within sixty-one (61) days from the date of this email.

Sincerely,

Monica Buescher

Public Information Coordinator

Communication/Procedures Administrator

Lubbock Central Appraisal District

(806)776-2208

<mailto:piarequest@lubbockcad.org> piarequest@lubbockcad.org

Good afternoon,

Attached please find the Residential Field Manual and Property Glass Guide. Also attached are appraisal cards for properties located in the block/area of the properties you listed below.

Please let us know if you need any additional information.

Thank you,

Monica Buescher

Public Information Coordinator

Communication/Procedures Administrator

Lubbock Central Appraisal District

(806)776-2208

<mailto:piarequest@lubbockcad.org> piarequest@lubbockcad.org

Good morning,

I received the information below from our Chief Appraiser.

Typically garages and additions take on the same characteristics and attributes as the MA (main area) and a separate manual is not needed. Garages are valued as 45% of the price/square foot of the MA. Depending on the quality of an addition it may be valued at 25% (MA25) to 100% (MA4) of the price/square foot of the MA.

I’ve attached a copy of the tables which show these percentages.

Thank you,

Monica Buescher

Public Information Coordinator

Communication/Procedures Administrator

Lubbock Central Appraisal District

(806)776-2208

<mailto:piarequest@lubbockcad.org> piarequest@lubbockcad.org

Good morning,

I wanted follow up with you on our previous emails. Can we consider this Public Information request fulfilled completely?

Thank you,

Monica Buescher