Once again a record group of oil & gas tax professionals were on hand when TXOGA held its 2005 Annual Property Tax Representatives Conference on Wednesday and Thursday, February 23^rd & 24^th.  One hundred thirty-three registrants attended the comprehensive meeting at the Hilton Austin Airport Hotel.

“Some of the credit for our turnout is a result of our excellent communication and our agenda and speakers.  However, I also know that some of the increased attendance is due to the stepped-up professional licensing requirements for property tax agents to obtain CEU’s,” said Roger Kret, ChevronTexaco, arrangements chairman for the conference.  The meeting followed its usual format said Kret, with a variety of upstream, downstream, and legal topics on the agenda.

The meeting was called to order by Rod Sturgeon, ExxonMobil, chairman of the Association’s Ad Valorem Committee.  Ben Sebree, TXOGA’s vice president for governmental affairs, welcomed the group to Austin and Roy Flores, with Flores & Associates of Houston, served as the keynote speaker presenting “Nuero Linguistics in Leadership.”

Legal issues were covered with addresses by John Brusniak, Jr., of Brusniak McCool & Blackwell, P.C., entitled “The Dilemma of School Finance”; by Ed Kliewer, with Kliewer, Breen, Garatoni, Patterson & Malone, discussing “Current Developments in Property Tax.”  They continued with comments by Jeff Ballew, of Thompson & Knight, entitled “Posted Price Lawsuits: Is it Over?,” and by Mark Hutcheson with Popp & Ikard, speaking on “Mandatory Renditions: How Did It Go?”

Other presentations included, “Downstream: Current Events & Valuation Issues” by Kathy Spletter, Stancil & Company; “The New World Oil Dynamic” by Sylvia Barnes of Petrie Parkman & Company; “WTI vs. WTS: Why the Difference?” by Geoff A. Houlton of Purvin & Gertz, Inc. and subcommittee reports from TXOGA’s Ad Valorem work groups.

Gavin Russo received the 2005 TXOGA Distinguished Service Award in the Field of Property Taxation. Mr. Russo served the Association and industry for many years as chairman of TXOGA’s Ad Valorem Tax Committee.

The conference is an annual event planned by members of the Association’s Ad Valorem Tax Committee.  The meeting is intended as a forum for oil & gas tax professionals and is the only meeting of its kind dealing strictly with tax issues for the energy industry. It is open to TXOGA members and non-members alike.