Property values rise in Ft. Hood area cities

Cities near the Ft. Hood area, Killeen, Copperas Cove and Harker Heights saw property tax appraisals rise from the year 2011 to this year.  Copperas Cove saw a 2.44 percent increase in the value of taxable properties, according to documents from the Central Coryell County Appraisal District that show about $25 million worth of additional property in the city.  Killeen saw the second-highest increase among the three cities with a 1.8 percent or about $86 million increase in taxable property, according to information from the Bell County Appraisal District.  Harker Heights lagged behind the other two cities with only a 0.57 percent or $8 million increase in taxable property. However, its total property values are about $1.4 billion compared to Copperas Cove’s $1.07 billion.

What the increase in the property values means is that even when the tax rate is steady, the city will receive more tax revenue.   If the cities want to keep the revenue stream the same, then they could lower the tax rate.   The tax money often goes to school districts, construction projects and other public services.