Brazoria Appraisal District Budgets Total $7 MM / Year
The Brazoria County Appraisal District (Brazoria CAD) is one of the important organizations in the county as it assesses and levies the taxes needed for government to function. Despite having a budget of $7.18 million in 2023, Brazoria CAD had only 31 full-time appraisers to assess over 242,700 parcels of land. This meant that every appraiser had to handle thousands of properties a year and somehow make an accurate account every time. This is why it is so important for all taxpayers to appeal their values, to ensure that every assessment is perfectly accurate. Get expert help in your appeal when you join O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™. There is no fee or hidden cost to join, and you will get support from one of the nation’s top property tax firms to boot. Enroll, relax, and save.
Total 2018 CAD Budget Including ARBSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Millions of $ | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Total Budget | 4.296 | 4.621 | 4.920 | 5.257 | 5.667 | 5.932 | 6.341 | 6.546 | 6.813 | 7.171 | 7.733 | |
| ARB Operations Budget | 0.0280 | 0.0280 | 0.0350 | 0.0490 | 0.0530 | 0.0490 | 0.0450 | 0.0450 | 0.0400 | 0.040 | 0.055 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since YOU can spend YOUR money better than the government.
Brazoria CAD Operations and Budgets
Most taxpayers only think of the Brazoria County Appraisal District (Brazoria CAD) when it comes to paying their property taxes once a year. However, this small organization is perhaps the most vital and powerful government entity in the county, as it controls much of the funding needed for everything to function. Often operating behind the scenes, the organization is able to exert influence on many factors in government. But, while being so important, Brazoria CAD is also understaffed for the task it is responsible for, leaving it to rely on stopgaps and other measures needed to fulfill all duties. One of the key organizations used to check the power of the district is the appraisal review board (ARB), which is an independent group that handles formal disputes between taxpayers and the district. It shares a budget with the CAD, though only a fraction of it.
Taxpayers wishing to oppose the district through informal appeals, formal hearings, or even lawsuits usually need expert help. O’Connor is here to assist in the noble goal of residents paying only their fair share of taxes. In business for over 50 years, O’Connor is a Houston-based property tax firm that served over 185,000 clients in 2024 alone. With so much experience in the Houston area, O’Connor knows how best to oppose the CAD and how to get taxpayers the best deal possible.
Brazoria CAD Total CAD Budget Including ARB
While it might not be a glitzy suburb like Denton or Collin counties, Brazoria still has a lot of money and property within and is one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas. The CAD has seen its budget creep up every year, in an attempt to keep up with population growth. The 2023 budget for the CAD was $7.18 million, while the ARB budget was a paltry $40,000. The ARB budget has been decreasing slightly since 2018, and 2023 was the smallest seen since 2016. With an increasing demand for formal appeals, this puts more stress on the ARB members and keeps taxpayers waiting for months to get their hearing.
Total Property Taxes Levied Brazoria CountySource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Billions of $ | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Property Taxes Levied | 0.6243 | 0.6645 | 0.7048 | 0.7901 | 0.8729 | 0.8844 | 0.896 | 0.9049 | 1.0041 | 1.0422 | 1.2133 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Appealing annually helps the appraisal district avoid over-taxing a property for both market value and unequal appraisal.
Brazoria County Total Amount of Property Taxes Levied
Like virtually every other county in Texas, Brazoria has seen their levied taxes nearly double in the past decade. In 2014, around $624 million in taxes were levied. This had grown to $1.04 billion in 2023, the most ever seen in the county. The one silver lining is that this grew over time and was not a sudden spike as seen in places like Travis County. While not ideal, it does make it easier for taxpayers when growth is in a somewhat predictable pattern. One vital role of tax appeals is to separate overvaluation from legitimate growth, as the district often does not have the time or resources to double-check their findings.
FTE Positions In Budget Total - Brazoria CADSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| FTEs | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Total Number of FTEs | 53 | 56 | 57 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 63 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Valuation is a subjective matter where reasonable people can differ.
FTE Positions in Budget Total
Brazoria CAD, for all of its power and responsibilities, is quite small. This is a common theme for most Texas appraisal districts, as they tend to prioritize being lean. In 2023, there were only 64 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. There have been 64 FTEs since 2021, while there were 63 FTEs in 2020. The CAD has only added 11 FTEs in the past decade, which could indicate that they are spread thin compared to the size of the county.
FTEs Assigned to the Appraisal - Brazoria CADSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| FTEs | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| FTEs Appraisal Total | 27 | 24 | 23 | 28 | 22 | 25 | 30 | 23 | 23 | 31 | 23 | |
| Residential | 13 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 17 | 12 | |
| Commercial | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | |
| All Other | 11 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since It is a great way to slow the growth of government spending (of your money).
Brazoria CAD FTEs Assigned to the Property Appraisal
The number of FTEs comes into focus when it is revealed that out of 53 FTEs, only 31 oversee appraisals. The rest are used for tech support, office duties, and other necessary tasks. Of the 31 appraisers, 17 cover residential properties, while five focus on commercial ones. Nine were assigned to industrial, utilities, and oil and gas. There are 242,700 parcels of land in the county, meaning every appraiser has to handle 7,829 properties a year. This is why shortcuts are often inevitable and can make property tax values and bills suspect and open to appeals.