To produce the individual appraisal ratio for each minerals property in the sample, staff divides the appraisal district's value by the staff's estimated market value. Category G ratios are calculated similar to Category A, but Category G is divided into three subcategories. The utilities category consists of the real property and tangible personal property of telephone, electric, gas distribution, railroad and pipeline companies, as well as the property of other companies commonly thought of as utilities, such as water systems. The division staff chooses utility samples by a method that ensures sampling the highest-valued properties and other properties as appropriate. Appraisals are based on information published in annual company reports filed with federal and state regulatory agencies and furnished directly to the Comptroller by the utility companies.
Staff also obtains information from business and industry publications.
Staff determines the percentage of unit value attribu to each company's Texas operations to develop an overall estimated value for the company's Texas portion. The total appraisal roll value for the sampled utility properties divided by their total estimated market values produces a non-stratified weighted mean ratio for utilities. Dividing this ratio into the school district's total reported value for utilities generates the division's estimated total value of all utility property in the school district.