Apparently stung by a Monday night vote against its proposed new $6.4 million building, the Fort Bend Central Appraisal District pulled a similar request from the county Commissioners Court and Drainage District agendas.
And while Commissioners Court members – who also serve as the county drainage district board – declined to consider identical resolutions condemning the CAD’s expansion plans on Tuesday, three of them left little doubt that those plans faced more opposition.
CAD offices have been packed the past few weeks, by residents seeking redress for property appraisals they believe are too high. Those appraisals, which the CAD has been performing annually, are used in determining property taxes.
The CAD board, noting the jammed parking lot and full waiting rooms, had sought to build a 33,000-square-foot building and 330 parking spaces on 12 acres along Rosenberg’s Bamore Road at a cost of up to $6.4 million.
To obtain permission to construct the taxpayer-funded building, the CAD board needed 75% of the county’s 150-plus taxing entities (school boards, cities, the county, municipal utility and levee districts) to approve its resolution.
But Precinct 1 Commissioner Richard Morrison crafted a resolution of his own, opposing the CAD board’s plan and offering the alternative of staying in the existing 25,000-square-foot building and assuming 5,000 more square feet of space after a new courts complex results in moves that will make such space available.
Further, Morrison spoke at Monday night’s FBISD Board of Trustees meeting, arguing against the CAD plan and urging trustees to vote it down. They complied.
On Tuesday afternoon, while convened as head of the county Drainage District Board prior to the Commissioners Court session, County Judge Bob Hebert said the CAD Board had pulled its resolution seeking the new building.
Morrison insisted on pursuing his resolution against the CAD expansion, however, neither Hebert nor any other commissioner would second the motion he made to approve it.
However, Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers said, “I understand Commissioner Morrison’s sentiment,” adding “I think that its prudent for us to step back and see if there’s some other solution that’s less costly and more viable to the citizens.”
Hebert was more blunt.
“I don’t think it’s the job of the court to solve the CAD’s office space problems,” he said, adding that the building the appraisal board proposed would cost $180 per square foot, while recently built county office buildings cost about $130 per square foot.
“That’s a lot of money,” Hebert said of the per-square-foot difference. “I’m not happy with the financial request.”
He also said the CAD board has until June 23 to bring back a resolution on the proposed expansion, and unless or until that is done, “we’re on record as a ‘no’ vote.”
Still, Hebert said, “we have to do something, because right now citizens are having to park on a major highway” and stand in line in the hot sun waiting to meet with appraisers in order to exercise their right to protest their property appraisals.
Meyers and Hebert noted Fort Bend County built the building now housing the CAD, at 2801 F.M. 2218. The county now leases that building to the appraisal district.
“If they’re willing to pay us $6.4 million, I’m willing to build them a Taj Mahal,” Hebert said jokingly, before adding, “All this money eventually goes back to the pockets of the taxpayers.”
Morrison, who also could not get a second on his motion to approve his resolution during the regular Commissioners Court meeting, said he wanted to go on record saying that while he opposes the CAD’s proposed method of expanding, he is not against finding a less-costly alternative.
“I think we’re all singing the same song,” Hebert said.
Hmmmm……perhaps if they weren’t making so many unjustified increases to our property there would not be so many protests.
I find it ludicrous that my property is appraised above market value. Cut me a check, I’ll sell it today.