What is Ad Valorem?

You may have seen the words “ad valorem” on your property tax bill and wondered what they mean. Simply put, ad valorem is Latin for “based on value.”

An ad valorem tax is a tax based on the value of your property. Each year, the Bexar Central Appraisal District determines the market value of your property and applies any applicable exemptions or assessment limitations to determine your taxable value. That value is then used by the different taxing entities in your area to calculate their portion of your property tax bill.

Those taxing entities include the City of Helotes, Bexar County, Northside ISD, University Health, Alamo Colleges, the San Antonio River Authority, and others. Each entity sets its own tax rate to fund the services it provides.

For the City of Helotes, property tax revenue helps fund the services and people our community relies on every day—including police, fire, dispatch, public works, and other essential city operations.

Here’s something important to keep in mind: the City of Helotes is only one part of your total property tax bill.

Here’s the breakdown of the bill for the average Helotes home price of $465,000:

  • 48.82% to Northside ISD
  • 15.06% to the City of Helotes
  • 13.42% to Bexar County
  • 13.42% to University Health
  • 7.25% to Alamo Colleges
  • 1.15% to Bexar County Road & Flood Control
  • 0.89% to the San Antonio River Authority

In other words, when you look at your property tax bill, the City of Helotes represents about 15% of the total.

Helotes also has one of the lowest property tax rates among Bexar County municipalities. Of the 24 municipalities that levy a property tax, Helotes ranks 21st in tax rate.

Why does this matter? Because understanding how property taxes work—and where your tax dollars go—is important when we talk about the City’s budget and tax rate.

In my next post, I’ll explain the recent vote on Helotes’ ad valorem tax rate, why the City Council voted on a modest increase, and how that decision affects our City budget, employees, services, and the quality of life we enjoy living in Helotes.