Montgomery Appraisal Review Board Staff and Pay
With 35 members and a budget of $495,000 in 2023, the Montgomery County appraisal review board (ARB) was tasked with deciding 47,867 formal appeals. One of the vital steps in the property tax protest ladder, the ARB is meant to be a neutral party that decides disputes between the people of Montgomery County and the Montgomery Central Appraisal District (MCAD). Whether you are filing an informal appeal, formal appeal, or judicial appeal, be sure to join O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program(TM) to get the best representation for every step on your journey. You will never deal with hidden fees, upfront costs, or surprise charges, and you will only pay if your property taxes are lowered. Enroll, relax, and save.
Total Number of ARB Members - Montgomery 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 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 35 | 24 |
| New ARB Members | 4 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 8 | 13 | 7 |
| Returning ARB Members | 9 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 21 | 18 | 19 | 13 | 19 | 22 | 17 |
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.
Montgomery County Appraisal Review Board (ARB)
The appraisal review board (ARB) is meant to be an unbiased and evenhanded body that acts as an arbiter between taxpayers and the Montgomery Central Appraisal District (MCAD) when it comes to property tax appeals. The ARB has become more prominent in recent years in Montgomery County as more residents begin appealing their taxes. A record 47,867 formal appeals were heard before the ARB in 2023.
With formal appeals being a focus going forward, especially for homeowners, Montgomery County taxpayers want to put their best foot forward when it comes to their ARB hearing. Thankfully, O’Connor is here and has 50 years of experience dealing with appeals at all levels. Based in Houston, O’Connor has all the local knowledge and connections needed to get the best deal possible. O’Connor is also one of the largest firms in America that specializes in property tax protests, meaning they have the assets to handle any problem thrown their way.
Montgomery County ARB Members
While the ARB has always been small, some steps have been taken to expand the board, resulting in 2023 seeing the most members yet at 35. After a decade of membership in the teens or 20s, the jump to 35 was a welcome change. 13 new members were added in 2023, with 22 members returning from previous stints. There must be an expansion of members in the future if the ARB hopes to keep up with the growing demand for property tax protests in Montgomery County.
How Many Days did ARB Hold Hearings in Montgomery 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 | 48 | 50 | 65 | 62 | 63 | 95 | 121 | 82 | 123 | 105 | 107 |
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 the Montgomery County ARB Met
There is no appointed or set schedule for the ARB, they simply must meet until every single formal appeal is heard. This can be quite the task, considering the 47,867 formal appeals put forward in 2023. The ARB met for 105 days in 2023, down from 123 in 2022. This decrease was helped thanks to the added members, who were able to spread some of the workload. 105 days was much higher than the statewide average of 23, and was more than some larger counties, such as 87 days for Travis.
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 | $200 | $200 | $200 | $200 | $200 | $175 | $200 | $200 | $200 | $197 | $200 |
| Median per diem to ARB | $200 | $200 | $200 | $200 | $200 | $175 | $200 | $200 | $200 | $198 | $225 |
| Highest per diem to ARB | $250 | $250 | $250 | $250 | $250 | $225 | $250 | $250 | $250 | $248 | $250 |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Texas property taxes are the largest tax payment for many Texans.
ARB Compensation
The total budget for the ARB in 2023 was $495,000. This was mostly to compensate the members of the board for their 105 days of work. The highest paid board members received $248 per day, the median was $198, while the lowest got a respectable $197. While these payrates were under the statewide Texas averages of $295 for high pay and $275 for median, the low pay was actually better than the average of $176.