Hidalgo Appraisal District Budgets Total $13 MM / Year
As the nexus of income generation for the county, the Hidalgo County Appraisal District (HCAD) wields some impressive power. Yet, even with a budget of $13.15 million, the organization is only staffed by 96 full-time employees, with only 96 of them being appraisers. This means they are forced to use underhanded tactics and shortcuts to decide the value of every piece of property in Hidalgo County. Defy the appraisal district and only pay your fair share of taxes when you join O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™ today. Enrollment is free, your taxes will be appealed every year, and you will never pay a cent unless your taxes are lowered. 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 | 7.445 | 7.904 | 8.157 | 8.183 | 8.512 | 8.704 | 9.228 | 9.923 | 10.518 | 11.496 | 13.151 | |
| ARB Operations Budget | 0.0613 | 0.0725 | 0.0720 | 0.1770 | 0.0800 | 0.0830 | 0.2530 | 0.2750 | 0.3300 | 0.225 | 0.289 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since YOU can spend YOUR money better than the government.
Hidalgo CAD Operations and Budgets
Of all local governmental bodies, none has the power of the Hidalgo County Appraisal District (HCAD) . As the primary source of income for the entire county, the appraisal district has an influence far bigger than its budget or roster. With full control, HCAD has the authority to assess, categorize, and collect taxes. While a vital link in the chain that keeps the government running, HCAD can also use the authority to the detriment of taxpayers, even if that is not their intention.
The only option that taxpayers have to keep the district on the right path is to use property tax appeals. Informal appeals, formal hearings, and even lawsuits are available to every resident of Texas. The process can be confusing, but O’Connor is here to help. As one of the largest firms in America dedicated to protesting taxes, O’Connor has the ability to battle appraisal districts like no other. With over 50 years in the business, O’Connor knows how to put together the best appeal possible to protect taxpayers.
Hidalgo CAD Total CAD Budget Including ARB
One of the dangers facing the CADs of trendy counties like Collin, Travis, or Denton, is that they are simply too poorly funded to keep up with meteoric growth. This is not a problem for HCAD, as the county has been a stable area for decades, even though it is experiencing solid growth. With a budget of $13.15 million in 2024, HCAD is certainly not in danger of going underfunded. HCAD has had a steady increase in their budget over the past decade, with no noticeable gaps. Funding for the appraisal review board (ARB), on the other hand, has stayed stagnant or even regressed at $289,200.
Total Property Taxes Levied Hidalgo 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 | 0.7292 | 0.7679 | 0.8157 | 0.8462 | 0.8863 | 0.9190 | 0.9569 | 1.0155 | 1.0155 | 1.1407 | 1.2179 | |
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.
Hidalgo County Total Amount of Property Taxes Levied
Property taxes in Hidalgo County have gone up 67.02% since 2014. While this is a heavy burden to place on the shoulders of working families, it is not the typical doubling seen across Texas. In-demand counties have seen their taxes triple or more. This steady growth over a decade reflects a growing tax base, along with increasing values for both residential and commercial properties. The margin between healthy growth and overtaxation can be razor-thin, and the county is somewhere in this gray area. This is why property tax appeals are important.
FTE Positions In Budget Total - Hidalgo 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 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 96 | 96 | 96 | 96 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Valuation is a subjective matter where reasonable people can differ.
FTE Positions in the Budget Total
While the budget for HCAD has steadily grown over the years, their number of full-time equivalent employees (FTE) have not. 2024 saw 96 FTEs employed by HCAD, which is small when compared to the area they must serve. HCAD had 94 FTEs in 2014, and the number has stayed relatively the same. It can be argued that developing technology has made these 96 employees more efficient, but only adding two employees in over a decade is not a great sign for a healthy or dynamic organization. CADs are usually lean, but this may be little more than a skeleton crew.
FTEs Assigned to the Appraisal - Hidalgo 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 | 41 | 37 | 37 | 35 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 48 | 39 | 36 | 38 | |
| Residential | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | |
| Commercial | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 4 | |
| All Other | 25 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 29 | 19 | 14 | 19 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since It is a great way to slow the growth of government spending (of your money).
Hidalgo CAD FTEs Assigned to the Property Appraisal
When FTEs are examined by their role, it turns out that things may be worse than they initially appeared. Of the 96 FTEs, only 36 are in the business of actually appraising properties. The rest are administrative staff and other related duties. 15 are dedicated to residential properties, while four are responsible for all of the commercial properties. 19 more appraisers are used for utility, industrial, and other property types. There are 367,600 parcels in the county, meaning each appraiser must survey 9,673.68 parcels. This workload implies that HCAD must take many shortcuts to meet their duties.