The EIA’s price projections which form the basis of our Price Adjustment Factor calculations can be found at https://www.eia.gov/analysis/reports.php#/T186. Please search for either AEO (Annual Energy Outlook) or STEO (Short-Term Energy Outlook), whichever one is applicable for the current tax year. The price escalatory factors for years 2-6 in our discounted cashflow appraisals are calculated with reference to Producer Price Index (PPI) Commodity Data information which can be found at https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/srgate. Please search for series id WPU0561 (oil) or WPU0531 (natural gas).

In addition, see how these factors produce P&A's reference price forecasts for oil and gas, with a comparison to the previous tax year's oil and gas price forecasts. Please note, the oil and gas price forecasts for the current tax year may or may not be similar to those used for the previous tax year, for both oil and gas. However, it should be noted that the valuation of mineral interests depends on more than price alone. Forecasts of oil and gas production and expense levels as of January 1 also figure prominently into the calculations. Expense levels tend to follow price movement in a lagging (less volatile) fashion, while production tends to decline over time as a natural result of changing reservoir conditions (pressure loss, recovery percentage, etc.). Therefore a price difference by itself does not fully indicate how current valuations will compare with valuations performed for any previous tax year.

As always, we welcome any thoughts or suggestions you have regarding our appraisal work, etc. We are here to serve the taxpayers in the most efficient, timely and fair manner possible.

Business Personal Property Rendition Deadlines.

Beginning tax year 2020, the Texas Legislature via SB2 repealed subsection (c) of Property Tax Code, Sec.22.23, relating to the April 1 rendition deadline they installed beginning tax year 2018, and the extension of that deadline, for property located in an appraisal district in which one or more taxing units exempt freeport property under Tax Code Section 11.251. Effectively this moves the rendition deadlines back to the way they were administrated prior to tax year 2018.

However the Texas Legislature retained the April 30 rendition deadline for many types of regulated Utility property (pipelines, electric, railroad, telecom, etc.).  But they amended subsection (d) to modify the extension of the rendition deadline for these types of regulated utility properties, from an authorization of the chief appraiser to extend the filing deadline 15 days for good cause shown in writing by the property owner to requiring the chief appraiser to extend the deadline to May 15 on written request by the property owner, and authorizing the chief appraiser to further extend the deadline an additional 15 days for good cause shown in writing by the property owner. Because "good cause" is subjective and therefore easy to refute, this change in the law effectively provided regulated utility taxpayers an additional 15 days to file renditions.

Is your property subject to this April 30 rendition deadline? The answer is "yes" if the property is regulated by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC), the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC), the federal Surface Transportation Board (STB), or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

All these deadlines apply equally to renditions or 22.01(h) or (i) property reports provided to either appraisal districts or their contracted appraisal firms in lieu of renditions.

Each year the comptroller and each chief appraiser shall publicize in a manner reasonably designed to notify all property owners the requirements of the law relating to filing rendition statements and property reports and of the availability of forms. A person required to render property or to file a report as provided by this chapter shall use a form that substantially complies with the appropriate form prescribed or approved by the comptroller.

Appraisal districts are not obligated to mail rendition forms to property owners, although many do only as a courtesy. Property owners can find and print approved rendition forms directly from the Comptroller’s website:

https://www.comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/forms/

Which form to use depends on the type of property being rendered. Each form requires a property owner to furnish the information necessary to identify the property and to determine its ownership, taxability, and situs. A property owner can (but is not required to) furnish additional information on the form, including a good faith estimate of value. A tax agent (but not the property owner) is required to swear that the information provided in the rendition is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge and belief.

Substantial tax penalties can accrue for failure to timely file a rendition or if the property owner or agent is found to have committed fraudulent conduct in an inspection, determination, or other proceeding before the appraisal district.

More information is available in the Texas Property Tax Code, Chapter 22 (Renditions and Other Reports), such as what persons and which property is covered by this business personal property rendition law.

P&A is committed to the uniform and accurate appraisal of all pipelines. Beginning tax year 2015 we’ve instituted a new policy regarding pipelines we appraise using the Cost Approach. Specifically, we’re amending the way we provide for Economic Obsolescence (a form of depreciation) based on “utilization” (throughput versus capacity of the pipeline). Although we’re not amending the formula itself we’ve used for many years now (a variation of the Chilton equation), we are striving for more clarity in the throughput and capacity figures required in the formula. Please see this throughput appraisal policy memo  for details. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Please feel free to contact any of our utility appraisers if you have any questions.