Galveston Appraisal Review Board Staff Numbers
Galveston County is not only one of the most protested counties in Texas, it has also embraced the appraisal review board (ARB) like no other. Shockingly, for all the pressure it is under, the board only has nine members, which translates into three boards. To make matters worse, these board members are paid some of the lowest wages in Texas, with each member only making $130 per day, half of the Texas average. If you are looking to take your fight against the Galveston County Central Appraisal District (GCAD) to the board, get some expert help on your side. Join O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™ today and get help from one of the nation’s elite firms. There is no cost to enroll, and you will only pay if your taxes are lowered. Enroll, relax, and save.
Total Number of ARB Members - Galveston 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 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| New ARB Members | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Returning ARB Members | 7 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 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.
Galveston County ARB
Few counties have depended on formal appeals to the appraisal review board (ARB) like Galveston has. In 2023, there were 24,133 formal hearings, disputing far more than informal appeals. This means that there is a huge demand on the board to get things done. As a vital arena to challenge the Galveston County Central Appraisal District (GCAD) , the board must be in tip-top shape. If you are out to protest your property formally, informally, or even with a lawsuit, be sure to enroll with O’Connor. One of the largest property tax firms in the nation, O’Connor helped 185,000 clients in 2024 and is looking to help more in their quest for fair taxation.
Galveston County ARB Members
ARBs are always comprised of three members. The total number of members in 2023 was nine. This means that there were three total boards expected to handle 24,133 formal protests. That is an average of 8044.33 appeals for every board. Until 2020, there were 12 members, meaning four boards. This was cut back at about the same time that formal appeals exploded. There were two new members in 2023 and seven returning ones. The current number of members and boards is obviously much too low to provide efficient service for taxpayers.
How Many Days did ARB Hold Hearings in Galveston 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 | 41 | 73 | 50 | 68 | 57 | 68 | 94 | 73 | 74 | 77 | 66 |
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 ARB will keep meeting until their caseload is entirely done. Each meeting typically takes around 30 minutes to complete, though it can sometimes run over. This means that the more protests there are, the longer the boards will be forced to meet. In 2023, the board met for 77 days. Outside of 94 days in 2020, this was the longest stretch ever recorded for the ARB. This likewise indicates that there needs to be a rapid expansion to meet demand.
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 | $123 | $123 | $123 | $125 | $125 | $125 | $130 | $130 | $130 | $130 | $140 |
| Median per diem to ARB | $124 | $124 | $124 | $125 | $125 | $125 | $135 | $135 | $135 | $130 | $145 |
| Highest per diem to ARB | $125 | $125 | $125 | $125 | $125 | $125 | $140 | $140 | $140 | $130 | $150 |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Texas property taxes are the largest tax payment for many Texans.
ARB Compensation
Working in the ARB in Galveston County must be a thankless job. Each member is an expert in their field, and they are constantly overworked with a spiraling caseload that is only increasing every year. To top it off, every member is paid only $130 a day. It never goes higher or lower, making no differentiation for seniority, expertise, or other factors. $130 would be considered low in most counties, never mind how it stacks up for pay on the higher end of things. The average pay for an ARB member across Texas is $269 a day.