Statesman: Senate targets internet postings

[crispini]

The Senate unanimously approved a bill Wednesday that would make it illegal for appraisal districts across Texas to post photos and floor plans of homes or property on the Internet, as some do now.

Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, the author of the bill, said thieves and vandals might use the information to target the properties, especially second homes such as ranches and lake houses where the owners are not always in residence.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/shared/tx/legislature/stories/03/24legebriefs.html

PSYCH! I *know* why you clicked on this, ha ha ha. The same reason I clicked on it. The Stateman e-newsletter playing with our heads a little. :7

[Richardo]

1. Yep. You got me.

Still, it's bad enough that Mapquest will give anyone directions to my house based on my phone number, let alone also giving them the layout of my house through the appraisal district. :eyes:

OK, that's one in the plus column for this session.

[rainbow4321]

2. They make it sound worse than it is...

The pictures on the appraisal sites are only an outline of the house...thinking that it would help thieves is like saying a stick person drawing is a detailed drawing of a person. Draw a square on a piece of paper, throw in a few lines to separate it into 3 or 4 smaller squares and you have an appraisal house "map".
IMHO, this is just another example of TX lawmakers spending way too much time on useless laws/bills instead of passing stuff that will really make a diff down here.

[Wwagsthedog]

3. What they're really after is any information about the value assessed.

Most Texas counties have websites where the value of a home or business is noted. This is all in the public domain. One can go to the appraisal district office and look it up. What happens in fact is that many "activists" question the value of their own property to reduce taxes. Others go further and question the value of the assessment on properties of our honorable elected officials. If an outline or plan of the home is available, when a small value for an oversized property is assessed, voila, something stinks doesn't it? Happens all the time in Lone Star state. Let your own cynical thoughts take this argument where they may.

Have a nice day.

[crispini]

4. That is not correct.

The pictures on the Dallas CAAD appraisal site are actual PHOTOGRAPHS of the house. Could they help a thief decide who to come and rob? Sure! You can glance over the site and easily pick out a dump from a well-kept home just by the photos.

I'm for it, IMO.