A tax abatement agreement is entered into when the appropriate governing body has approved the agreement and all parties have signed and dated the agreement. 1997 tax refunds Tax year 1997 was the first year that companies could apply for reimbursement of school taxes paid on a property that received a county or city abatement but not a school tax abatement. Companies had to file their refund applications before August 1, 1998. Of the 16 individual refund applications received for 1997 taxes, the State Comptroller's office approved 13 applications. The names of all the individual companies that applied and whether their refund requests were approved or denied are public information.
Any refund amounts, however, are confidential.
Companies wanting a refund of their 1998 school taxes must submit a refund application to the State Comptroller before August 1, 1999. In Austin, call 305-9999. The form is also available on the agency's Window on State Government website. Property tax forms on the agency's internet site are at Property Tax Forms Online . The last form listed at this site is Application for Refund of State Taxes Paid by Person Owning Certain Abated Property .