IAAO accepting topics for 2024 research grant
   IAAO is accepting research topics submissions for the 2024 Richard Almy Research Grant Program. IAAO members, along with students and faculty, are now eligible to submit proposals.
   The Richard Almy Research Grant Program, formerly called the Academic Partnership Program, provides financial support for IAAO members, students, and faculty to complete research in areas related to property appraisal, assessment administration, and property tax policy. The deadline to apply for is Jan. 31, 2024.
   All IAAO members, graduate/postgraduate students and faculty at accredited colleges/universities are eligible to apply. Funding for each approved project will be between $2,500 and $5,000. Grants are awarded for one year. Apply at https://www.iaao.org/researchgrant.

 

for March in Massachusetts
  The next IAAO in-person IEW will take place March 25-27, 2024, in Southbridge, Massachusetts. The three-day event is open to qualifying IAAO members.
   Those who pass the IEW audition will be considered a junior IAAO instructor and able to teach in the live classroom. Anyone who speaks a second language fluently or with a high degree of proficiency is encouraged to apply.
   Learn more about the IEW and apply here. Spots are limited, and the deadline to apply is Jan. 19, 2024.

 

Dues renewals underway; pay online or return email invoice
   IAAO membership renewals for 2024 are underway and members can now pay online or use the invoice that was recently emailed to members whose dues are not billed to their firm. The deadline for renewal is Dec. 31.
 
October webinar: How to protect your organizations’ data
   The cyber incident response team for the El Paso Central Appraisal District in Texas will present a guide addressing standards and insights on how to obtain the security needed to protect your organization's data during the October IAAO webinar.
  October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month and since 2004 it has been a dedicated month for the public and private sectors to work together to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity.
   The webinar, set for noon Central on Wednesday, Oct. 25, will be presented by Rodolfo Arvizo and David Martinez and is eligible for 1.5 CEU hours. The cost is $55 for IAAO members and $77 for nonmembers. Register here.
 
Check out sessions in upcoming Legal Seminar, set for Louisville
   Registration is underway for the 2023 IAAO Legal Seminar, set for Nov. 30 to Dec. 1, at the Omni Louisville Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.
   Attendees will hear from industry experts on legal topics of interest to members of the assessment and property tax industry. The theme for the seminar is “Assessing the New Norm” and a list of sessions and speakers is now available in the brochure.
   You can register online or submit a paper form with payment.

   Continuing legal education credits (CLEs) will be available and IAAO will seek approval for continuing legal education credits for states requested by Oct. 1. Read more

 

Fighting cybercrime is the topic of November business partner webinar
   Fighting Back Against Cybercrime will be the subject of a webinar by IAAO business partner Tyler Technologies at noon Central on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The webinar will review how sophisticated cyberattacks targeted at state, local, and federal government organizations and school districts place all concerned parties on high alert.
   In this webinar, hear from cybersecurity expert Tim Walsh, who will discuss how agencies can approach the way they think about cybersecurity – from innovative and strategic resource usage to effective application, detection, and response mechanisms to ensure the security of data and high valued assets. Register here.

 

Hear about Farragut’s property tax solutions during Nov. 9 webinar
   Find out how to harness the full potential of your office and data with Farragut's suite of tailored property tax solutions by attending a webinar by IAAO Strategic Business Partner Farragut.
   From their business intelligence solution to CAMA solution to billing and collections, come experience how to empower your team to extract valuable insights, streamline operations, and make confident data-driven decisions.
   The webinar, Unleash the Power of Tailored Solutions: Maximize Your Office and Data Potential, will be offered at 1 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, Nov. 9. Register here.

 

Texas voters to tackle largest property tax cut in state’s history on November ballot
   Texans are a few weeks away from the November elections and the biggest property tax reduction in the state’s history is on the ballot.
   From groceries to clothes to cars, inflation is driving up the cost of everything -- and property values are skyrocketing too. Read more

 

20,000 Jackson County assessment appeals unresolved as workers laid off
   It’s looking increasingly unlikely that the property assessment appeals process will be done in Jackson County (Missouri) before tax bills are sent out.
   A bit of a standoff for funding to finish those appeals went unsolved earlier this week with both Jackson County legislators and the County Executive’s Office critical of the other. Read more
 

Black-owned land is under siege in the Brazos Valley
   Acre by acre, families have lost long-held property near Bryan and College Station, Texas — much of it to the efforts of two men who weaponized arcane documents to acquire plots potentially worth millions.
   Meanwhile, over the past 20 years, the population of Brazos County has increased by more than 50%, to 242,000, driven by the growth of Texas A&M University and by families moving from the Houston area, drawn by the promise of good schools and the bucolic countryside.

   The effect has been most pronounced in rural areas, where land is rapidly being cleared for subdivisions. Pasture that once went for $1,000 per acre is now worth five times that or more. Read more
 

on commercial properties
   Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi blames the Board of Review for any property tax increases among Chicago-area homeowners, with a recent emphasis on the northern suburb of Evanston, Illinois.
   The assessor’s office increased property valuations in the northern suburb of Evanston by 28 percent in 2022, which will be reflected in upcoming fall tax bills, Kaegi said in a letter. Read more
 

Appraiser dubious about property tax reform idea pending in Kansas Legislature
   Saline County Appraiser Sean Robertson started with positive elements of the Legislature’s proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution capping real estate valuation increases on residential, commercial and agriculture property at 4% annually in a bid to slow skyrocketing taxes.
   Robertson, representing the Kansas County Appraiser’s Association, told a House and Senate committee studying the amendment that passage by voters could bring stability to property values, reduce complaints about surging taxes, and shrink the number of complex tax appeals. It would also impose a cap on the state’s imposition of the property tax on Kansans, he said.
   Then, to the disappointment of several lawmakers, he delved into reasons the constitutional amendment was a bad idea. Read more