Tina Flores, right, has served as chief appraiser for the Kleberg County Appraisal District for 16 years and has been with the office for 26 years. Pictured is Anita Y. Garza, left, reviewing use of the MultVision computer software that reveals aerial views and oblique imagery that details information about acreage and residential property. (Photo by Gloria Bigger-Cantu). County’s chief appraiser honored Tina Flores, chief appraiser with the Kleberg County Appraisal District, was recently honored for serving as the chairman of the Texas Rural Chief Appraisers at a conference held in Fort Worth.

Flores has been with the Kleberg County Appraisal for 26 years and has served as the Kleberg County chief appraiser for 16 years.

Flores discussed her role as state chairman of TRCA, new rural issues and taxation.

“I feel honored to serve again because it provides a great source of information for our district that benefits us,” Flores said Thursday. The numerous members of the Texas Rural Chief Appraisers elected her. She has been a member of TRCA for 10 years and served as chairman and conference chairman in the past.

Tina Flores “I am very humbled and grateful to the present and past members who are nice and always willing to help me,” she said.

Al Garcia, a board member of the Kleberg County Appraisal District and Kingsville City Commissioner praised Flores for serving as a chairman of TRCA and receiving the recognition at the Fort Worth conference.

“I think it is a very prestigious job for her and she is representing the community throughout Texas,” Garcia said. “She has been doing an outstanding job throughout the years and deserving of this award.”

Organized in 1991, the Texas Rural Chief Appraisers was established for the purpose “to promote positive attitudes, share information, support, respective state organization and serve the taxpayers and rural tax officials of Texas through cooperation and information sharing.”

The first annual conference was held in 1994 and TRCA was officially incorporated in 2004.

As TRCA chairman, Flores duties include working with the committee chairman, and with the secretary for the finance of future conferences. She will continue to obtain legislation information and share it with other members. The organization meets several times a year and conducts one main conference. TRCA was organized to focus on rural appraisal issues. Kleberg County is obviously a ranching and farming district.

Flores cited that the new issues for the rural districts are the wind farms, and water rights and determining their taxations.

“Technology is always changing and is a great help to us because it better informs taxpayers and how it complies with the law,” Flores replied in reference to obtaining property valuations information.

She is also a member of the Texas Association of Assessing Officers and the Texas Association of Appraisal Districts.

For the past two years, a Multivision software has been available to taxpayers who question the value and taxes of their property. The Multivision software provides an aerial view, oblique imagery, that can determine the acreage of land and can also map out the kind of soil contents. There are five categories to determine land use and appraise property.

The Multivision software can view a home from side to side and around the house. In one search of a home, a carport was added and the dimensions of the addition were detected. Taxpayers are welcome to visit the office and check their property with the Multivision software service, according to Flores.

While paying property taxes is inevitable, it is the largest funding source for local services in Texas. Property taxes help to pay for public schools, city streets, county roads, police, fire protection and other services.

An appraisal district in each county, administered by a chief appraiser, determines the value of properties each year. The appraisal district’s board of directors hires the chief appraiser. Local taxing units appoint the directors and fund the appraisal districts according to a tax-based formula, according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.

Property taxes are based on monetary value. For example, the property tax due on a vacant lot valued at $10,000 would be 10 times as much as the tax for valued at $1,000.

Flores clarified that the Kleberg County Appraisal District does not make the tax laws. The legislation does that. “We do our job fair and equitable.”

“We definitely encourage taxpayers to ask questions on their property,” Flores said.