Sherry Tavel

U of H-Clear Lake BS Cum Laude South Texas College of Law-Houston JD Board Certified in Residential Real Estate Law-Texas Supreme Court...

Have you ever wondered why your property taxes are so high? Have you protested your taxes, only to be turned down with no explanation? I have, and I understand the frustration of Texas property owners who feel they are not being heard. I am running for the Montgomery County Appraisal District Board because property owners deserve fairness. I will work to ensure that appraisals are accurate, fair, and supported by the law—and that taxpayers are treated with respect and given meaningful answers when they challenge their property values....

Real Estate appraisal experience is a must. Understanding how the taxing authority works is another. I have an extensive background in the real estate industry, in addition to protesting property taxes in both Harris and Montgomery County. I hope to use this experience to help taxpayers understand how their values are assessed and bring transparency to this board.

When directors are elected, property owners can directly choose who will represent them. A Voter can decide whether to keep that director in office at the next election. Therefore, elected directors are accountable to the taxpayer and not simply selected through the taxing unit. Your vote gives you a voice in who helps oversee the appraisal district, its policies, its administration and its accountability to the property owners.

No, they need each other. The appraisal district determines the value and the taxing authorities determines how much tax they will charge on that value. An appraisal board member cannot promise to lower your tax rate, but they can insist that the property valuations are accurate, fair, equal and uniform, that the appraisal district operates transparently and that taxpayers are treated fairly. The taxing authority collects these taxes for the taxing entities.

I have protested my evaluation and successfully. I suggest everyone watch their property values and make sure they are in line with other properties in their area. The property appraisal process should not be intimidating or confusing. As an MCAD Board member, I will work to make it easier for homeowners to understand how their property value was determined, what comparable properties were used, what information they can request, and how to effectively protest an appraisal they believe is wrong or unfair. I will advocate for a simple homeowner’s guide, easy-to-understand property value explanations, educational videos and a more user-friendly online protest process. Taxpayers should not need to be an attorney, appraiser or real estate professional to understand their rights. My goal is simple: give every property owner the information and opportunity needed to be heard and treated fairly.

I don’t believe transparency means simply putting records on a website and telling taxpayers to find them. True transparency means explaining the numbers so an ordinary homeowner can understand how MCAD arrived at their property’s market value. If I’m elected, I will work to make the appraisal process easier to understand, make the supporting information more accessible, and make sure taxpayers can see the facts behind their valuation—not just the final number.

As a board member, I will apply a simple standard to the MCAD budget: Is this expenditure necessary, is it costs effective, and does it produce a measurable benefit to the appraisal district and the taxpayers who ultimately fund it? I will support responsible investments that improve appraisal accuracy, efficiency and taxpayer service, but I will question unnecessary spending, duplication, excessive costs and contracts that do not provide measurable value.

I believe nonbudgeted expenditures should be the exception, not the rule. If MCAD needs a new employee, service, technology or contract that was not included in the approved budget, I will expect a clear explanation of why it is necessary, what it will cost, what alternatives were considered, and what measurable benefit taxpayers will receive. I will ask whether the expenditure can be funded through existing resources before increasing the budget. Taxpayer-funded agencies should be able to explain not only what they want to spend, but why the expenditure is necessary and how it will improve the operation of the appraisal district. I will support responsible investments that improve accuracy, efficiency and taxpayer service, but I will question spending that cannot demonstrate a clear and constructive return.

As a member of the MCAD Board of Directors, I will insist that property owners and businesses be treated equally under the law. No individual, business, developer, political official or person with influence should receive special treatment in the appraisal process. I will support consistent appraisal methods, regular testing for unequal valuations, transparency in the data and methodology used to establish values, and meaningful review when patterns of unequal treatment are identified. I will not use a position on the board to intervene on behalf of friends, political allies or special interests. My standard will be simple: the same law, the same standards and the same fair treatment for everyone.

Montgomery County is experiencing tremendous growth, and with that growth comes a greater challenge in identifying new construction, improvements and other taxable property that may be omitted from the appraisal roll. As an MCAD Board member, I will support a proactive property discovery program using technology, building permits, recorded property information, GIS and other legally available data to identify omitted property. I will insist on measurable results and regular reporting to the board. Most importantly, I will insist that the same standards apply to everyone, from the individual homeowner to the largest developer or business. Finding omitted property is not about raising taxes; it is about making sure the tax burden is distributed fairly and that one property owner is not paying more simply because someone else’s taxable property was overlooked.

Texas law requires property to be appraised at its market value as of January 1. I believe we should preserve the principle of fair market value while examining whether the appraisal process gives rapidly growing counties like Montgomery County enough flexibility to analyze changing market conditions accurately. If elected, I will work with MCAD’s professional appraisal staff to identify where the current system creates problems, use objective market data to document those concerns, and advocate for appropriate changes to the Texas Tax Code when the evidence supports them. Any reform should be based on sound appraisal practices, apply equally to all property owners, and include transparency and taxpayer protections. My goal is not to manipulate values but it is to make sure the law allows appraisers to use the best available market information to produce accurate, fair and uniform valuations.

I believe every taxing authority in Montgomery County should regularly examine whether it can provide the same or better level of services at a lower cost. I would encourage a 5–10% efficiency review of every major budget and not an arbitrary across-the-board cut, but a serious examination of unnecessary spending, duplication, contracts, administrative costs and other opportunities to save taxpayer dollars. Before asking property owners to pay more, government should demonstrate that it has made every reasonable effort to control its own expenses. As an MCAD Board member, I will not control the budgets of the county, cities or school districts, but I will be a strong advocate for transparency, fiscal responsibility and accountability throughout the property-tax system.

I believe comparable sales should be as geographically close to the property being protested as reasonably possible, but distance alone should never determine whether a property is truly comparable. A comparable should reflect the same or a very similar market and be similar in characteristics that affect value. I would encourage MCAD to prioritize sales within the same subdivision or immediate market area and require an explanation when substantially more distant properties are used. Taxpayers deserve to know not only which properties were used as comparables, but why those properties were considered comparable and what adjustments were made. My goal is a consistent, transparent and evidence-based appraisal process and not an arbitrary mileage rule.

I believe property values should be based on the best available evidence of what a property would actually be worth in the marketplace and not simply on a computer-generated number or a one size fits all formula. For residential property, that generally means giving appropriate weight to recent sales of truly comparable properties and making reasonable adjustments for differences. For income-producing commercial property, the income the property can reasonably generate may be the most meaningful indicator of value. For new, unique or special-purpose properties, the cost approach may provide better evidence. As an MCAD Board member, I will support accurate, consistent and transparent appraisal methods that follow Texas law, use reliable market data, recognize the individual characteristics of each property, and apply the same standards fairly to everyone.