Excessive taxation By the HCAD P.I.G.s

Sign the Petition if you've been screwed over by HCAD or know some one who has!  Please share your story so that the masses know what a crapper of an experience it is or if you know some tips to help beat some sense into these "independent" P.I.G appraisers. 

Sign the Petition if you've been screwed over by HCAD or know some one who has!  Please share your story so that the masses know what a crapper of an experience it is or if you know some tips to help beat some sense into these "independent" P.I.G appraisers. 

Please share your experience of how you were treated by the HCAD P.I.Gs (Profit Inspired Guys).  I'll share my story, in hopes of letting everyone know what an AWESOME (NOT) system we have set up for ourselves.  So I purchased a home last year (in the Heights area) and when I got my tax appraisal packet sent to me this year the appraisal price had gone up by $76,000.  So I did what any red blooded American would do.  I protested to HCAD via their Ifile system which ended up not working of course this year and I presented myself to their office for the informal meeting first.  I showed up with my excel spreadsheet analysis in hand as well as a powerpoint of pictures of my house showing all it's faults (shy of taking pictures of the crackheads that rummage through my garbage) thinking the system will obviously see my side.  YEAH RIGHT!  I take a seat in the cube farm of the appraiser that is going to hear me out.  She tells me that because PERMITS were taken out on my home prior to me buying the home, for renovations and additions to the home it was now being appraised at $76,000 more than it was last year.  I told her that there were definitely no renovations that took place, unless you count painting that occurred from 1940 until now.  The HCAD P.I.G took my analysis and pretended to look at my analysis and even looked at my pictures (BACKWARDS).  At one point she gets up and says, I'll be right back and takes along my analysis and pictures.  After a long 10 minutes she comes back from her break and says to me like I said before there is nothing we can do.  The main reason that they declined my argument is because I paid 200K for my home and that the market is set by the purchase price.  I asked her that if I had purchased my home for $1, would it be appraised for $1.  She lies to me and says YES.  At which time I started thinking maybe I could sell my mom the house for a buck and then a couple years down the road she sell it back to me for a buck.  Of course her statement is obviously wrong.  So I leave the place very mad at the system.  On to round 2.  I go back disappointed but more eager than ever to prove my case that there weren't any renovations that ever occurred at my home.  I call the city of Houston engineering and public works dept. and asked if any permits were ever taken out on my property.  Of course they said NO and sent me a letter.  They also sent me an email stating the same, NO PERMITS FROM 1988 to today.  I thought OH surely this will prove my point.  So I got a comparison of sales in my area from a friend , I didn't use the HCAD P.I.Gs evidence because at this point I'm thinking they are comparing apples to oranges.  SO D-DAY arrives, I go in with more PICTURES this time and ran multiple excel spreadsheets showing proof of my case, along with the CITY OF HOUSTON letter stating NO FREAKING PERMITS!!!!  They call my name and I am escorted through a labyrinth of meeting rooms.  It's basically a 12 by 10 room that looks something like an interrogation room at a police head quarters sans mirror with guy on the other side.  They have a projection screen showing the details of your property with a nice picture that big brother took of your house.  ON one side the HCAD P.I.G (in my case it was a MR. ROGERS) controlling the computer.  How ironic!  Mr. Rogers never screwed people though!  On the other side you have a 3 person panel that are composed of independent members, that I will point out, all get paid by the same HCAD bank account.  Sound fair to you?  A definite conflict o  MAJOR Flawed and biased system.  So I am sworn in and promise to tell the truth.  Then one of the 3 HCAD P.I.Gs tells me the rules that we are going to play by and once again telling me she is independent.  So I am going to pass every one a copy of my evidence (you have to make one for every member P.I.G), and the leader of the independent P.I.Gs says to me that I can't provide the evidence yet until I'm told to do so.  I was taken back to the 3rd grade for a moment.  Ok so I'm finally given the chance to talk and present my case.  I first show my letter from the city showing that NO PERMITS were taken out.  EVER!  The main independent P.I.G says ok PROOF OF NO PERMITS EVER.  Score, I thought.  Then on to the excel analysis showing that my home was appraised to HIGH and my own sales comparison because what the P.I.Gs presented wasn't apples to apples.  SCORE AGAIN, I thought.   And finally on to the pictures that show my home in a dilapidated state.  All during this time they are allowed to TALK TO YOU.  THEN it's time for them to present.  AT THIS point I'm told that I can't talk unless I'm spoken too and that to hold all my questions to the end.  ALL of a sudden the MAIN HCAD P.I.G/appraiser (the guy behind the computer, that never looked me in the EYE, sort of the way guilty people never look you in the eye, the Mr. ROGERS) begins to say that the home is obviously been renovated and that you can tell from the picture.  It's called PAINT you P.I.G!!!!  Then that the price I paid for it sets the market value.  It's called SPECULATION P.I.G!!! Ever heard of it?  Of course I purchased my home in hopes that one day it would actually cost that.  Then the guy raps up and immediately the 3 other P.I.Gs start shooting off numbers and asking what the ratio of something is, and punch numbers in the calculator, all so very scientific.  The first little P.I.G says that the appraisal recommended by the main P.I.G and HCAD are fairly assessed and then the main independent P.I.G pretends to lower it, and then the last little P.I.G says that he sides with HCAD.  They pretend that it's a democratic system all while bending you over and...... You know the process!!!  I am creating this site because I wasn't allowed to question anything.  When I did, the P.I.G told me that I had to wrap it up...  THIS IS me TAKING BACK MY RIGHT you P.I.Gs!!!  I created this site so that other innocent homeowners aren't screwed by the HCAD P.I.Gs.  BE A WOLF and get a lawyer or at least go with "Schmuck and ASSOCIATES", and EAT THOSE P.I.Gs ALIVE!!!!!!!!!