The last day for disaster, senior, disabled person and vet second quarter payment is Thursday, March 31, 2016. Payments may be mailed or left in GCTO drop boxes, paid online (www.galcotax.com) via electronic check ($1 bank fee) or credit card (2.5% merchant fee) or credit card via telephone (toll free) at 1-866-865-1433 (English) or 1-866-865-1435 (Spanish). Tax Office branches are open 8 am to 5 pm Monday – Friday in Galveston, League City, Santa Fe and Texas City. For directions or actual locations, please call (toll free) 1-877-766-2284.

April 7 is the last day to register for local May 7th elections and April 25th for the May 24 Primary Run-off. Voter registration applications are available at all County Tax Offices or online at www.galcotax.com. Contact the Voter Registration Department toll free at 1-888-976-2280.

And, very important information for all property owners – with an on-going robust real estate market, be prepared to see a Notice of Appraised Value appear in your mailbox within the next couple of weeks. How can you prepare? First understand that values are determined on the January 1 condition so take those photos and obtain estimates of needed repairs.

Totally puzzled because you are new to the state? Learn more about the Texas property tax process and how to be effective when protesting your property value by attending County Tax Assessor Collector Cheryl E. Johnson’s award winning class, “Effectively Protest Your Appraised Value” on one of the dates shown below. Learn techniques—not tricks. Registration is required for the May 21st class only by calling 1-877-766-2284 and leaving your name and phone number or by emailing [email protected]). Class times are also shown – class lasts approximately two hours. Go online after April 1 to www.galcotax.com and under the Press Releases and Important Information link, download the 2016 Handbook and Protest spreadsheet. In any event, call 409-935-1980 to schedule an appointment with an appraiser no later than May 31, 2016.

• 4/16, 9 am, Galveston Country Club, 14228 Stewart Road, Galveston County Tax Office (class begins at conclusion of WGIPOA meeting or around 9:30 am)
• 5/3, 6 pm, League City Council Chambers, 200 W. Walker, League City
• 5/5, 6 pm, Learning Resource Center, Room L-131, College of the Mainland, 1200 Amburn Road, Texas City
• 5/19, 6 pm, Commissioners Courtroom, 722 Moody/21st Street, Galveston
• 5/21, 10 am, AMOCO Federal Credit Union, 235 E. Parkwood Drive, Friendswood (REGISTRATION REQUIRED FOR THIS MEETING)

The Lt. Governor’s Task Force on Appraisal Reform is continuing to meet and it is expected that a hearing will be held in our area within the next several months. Watch area newspapers or follow Galveston County Tax Office on Facebook.

Galveston County Tax Office
March 24, 2016