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Local Property Taxes
GCTO, CAD, ARB -- What Are All Those Crazy Acronyms? An Overview of Local Property Taxes:
•Taxing Entities (City, School District, Navigation District, Community College, MUD, etc.) Determine their own tax rates
•The Central Appraisal District (CAD) Appraises (values) property
•The Galveston County Tax Office (GCTO) Assesses (levies) and collects property taxes for the county as well as for Galveston's other taxing entities
Property taxes are based on the January 1st market value of your property as determined by the Galveston Central Appraisal District (CAD). CAD handles all ownership, exemption (homestead, over 65, disabled, etc.) and value information on properties.
Each spring, CAD issues notices of appraised value. Property owners have until May 31st (or 30 days after the date of the notice whichever is later) to protest the value CAD has arrived at.
After appraisal certifications, local governments adopt their budgets and tax rates. During the month of October, the GCTO mails tax statements to property owners and mortgage companies. Tax statements may be obtained (and taxes paid) at the County Tax Data Base Online.
More About CAD: The Galveston Central Appraisal District is responsible for valuing real property -- both business and personal -- for property tax purposes. The CAD Board of Directors is responsible for governing the appraisal district. The board appoints the chief appraiser, the taxpayer liaison officer, and the Galveston County Appraisal Review Board (ARB). The Galveston County Chief Appraiser manages the appraisal district office. The Galveston County Taxpayer Liaison Officer assists taxpayers in understanding the appraisal process.
The purpose of the Appraisal Review Board is to resolve property tax disputes between taxpayers and CAD. The Appraisal Review Board is made up of private citizens and is separate from the chief appraiser and the Galveston Central Appraisal District office. Click here to read more about CAD.
Property searches by ID number, owner name or address canbe performed on the CAD website: http://www.galvestoncad.org