Hidalgo County property tax protest deadline is this Friday
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A San Juan property owner is one of thousands of Rio Grande Valley residents protesting their property taxes ahead of Friday's deadline.
Yolanda Hernandez owns three properties, including her home and a storage space. She said her storage space went up $8,000 and her home went up $3,000 this year.
"I hope to get my taxes reduced, because it is a lot; it is too much," Hernandez said.
Hernandez is retired and lives on a fixed income. She is also taking advantage of the homestead exemption to save money.
"It makes a big difference because you've got other things, and then the way inflation is right now and the gas and everything and the food and everything, it's worth it to come and fight your taxes," Hernandez said.
This is her fourth year protesting her property taxes.
Channel 5 News visited the Hidalgo County Appraisal District office on Wednesday, where dozens of others were also protesting.
The appraisal district said 40,000 people have filed a protest this year. That is nearly half the number compared to last year's 70,000.
Hidalgo County Appraisal District Assistant Chief Appraiser Jorge Gonzalez said fewer letters went out to homeowners this year.
"That probably means you didn't get sent one because your value did not go up by at least a thousand dollars, which means you're carrying a value from last year over to this year and you're not going to get a notice," Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said even if someone did not get a letter, they can still protest the value. He said the information is available online.
The deadline to file a property tax protest is May 15, 2026. Property owners can file in person, online, or by mail.
Watch the video above for the full story.
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