Bell Appraisal Review Board Staff Numbers
2024 was the second-largest year ever for formal appeals in Bell County. This meant that the appraisal review board (ARB) had to handle an enormous caseload. With only 12 members, that means there was only a trio of three-person boards to oversee the growing cases. With a budget of $57,845, the ARB was overworked, though they ruled in favor of taxpayers much more than they did for the Tax Appraisal District of Bell County (Bell CAD). When you join O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™, your case will often be pushed to the ARB, where savings can generally be maximized. There is no cost to join or any hidden fees. Enroll, relax, and save.
Total Number of ARB Members - Bell CountySource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| ARB Members | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Total Number | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 12 |
| New ARB Members | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 3 |
| Returning ARB Members | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 9 |
Texas property owners should protest annually since The appraisal district can’t possibly accurately value all the properties in the county. They need your help to correct over-valuation.
Bell County ARB
Like many counties that are quickly developing in Texas, the people of Bell are using formal appeals more every year. 8,259cases saw a written formal determination in 2024, almost double the 2023 amount of 4,516. This was due to rising costs and greater reluctance by the Tax Appraisal District of Bell County (Bell CAD) to settle informal appeals. This means that taxpayers will continue to try their luck at the second stage of the protest ladder, to improve on their initial gains. As one of the largest property tax firms in the nation, O’Connor is here to help. If initial appeals fail, O’Connor will push clients to the highest tier possible to get the savings they deserve.
Bell County ARB Members
The appraisal review board (ARB) in the county has never been large, but 2024 saw the largest roster ever at 12. This was thanks to three new members in 2024, joining nine returning members. By 2023, the busiest year for formal appeals up to that point, the county added an additional three-member board to handle the increased workload. With formal hearings increasing every year, the board may soon need to grow again to meet the workload required to serve all constituents.
How Many Days did ARB Hold Hearings in Bell County?Source: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Days of ARB Hearings | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Days of ARB hearings | 16 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 32 | 39 | 34 | 48 | 61 | 39 |
Texas property owners should protest annually To avoid a surprise-increase in property taxes. This happens when the notice of value was lost. A large error in a home value is difficult to fix if not corrected through the normal appeal process.
Days with an ARB Hearing
The boards must meet until every case is heard. This led to a record 61 days of hearings in 2023. By adding an extra board, the 2024 total was reduced to 39 days, the shortest timeframe since 2021. Adding personnel to the books helped the strain significantly, allowing nearly double the number of appeals to be heard. Hopefully, the county will continue to invest in the ARB, as they form an important function as impartial referees in the struggle between taxpayers and the CAD.
ARB CompensationSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Per Diem Rate | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Lowest per diem to ARB | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 |
| Median per diem to ARB | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 |
| Highest per diem to ARB | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 | $175 |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Texas property taxes are the largest tax payment for many Texans.
ARB Compensation
The board had a total budget of $57,845. Tiny compared to the CAD’s massive budget of $6.68 million, this was still an improvement over 2023’s paltry $45,600. One reason for the small spending was that Bell County pays its experts on the low side. Typically, board members are on a sliding pay scale, with experienced members seeing a larger per diem. This is not the case for the Killeen area, as each member was paid $175 a day, without regard for seniority. Thankfully, most members serve to help their community, not for the money, so quality experts still joined the effort.