About Our Property Tax Team

Bettencourt Tax Advisors, LLC was formed in 2009 to bring Paul's knowledge of property taxes and his years of both public and business experience to the private sector. He spent ten years leading the Harris County Tax Office as the elected Tax Assessor-Collector in the nation's third largest county. As the Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Paul managed nearly 500 employees who provided property tax services to millions of local residents in Harris County, and who collected 5 billion dollars a year for 65 local taxing jurisdictions, the county, and the State of Texas.

Paul Bettencourt received the "Taxpayer Advocate of the Year" award from the Americans For Prosperity and many other recognitions of his statewide effort to reduce property tax increases for all Texas taxpayers. Through Paul's leadership at the Tax Office, his team developed a Customer Service driven organization which started with an extensive website that included online tax bills and then the first Online Automotive Registration and Property Tax Payment System in Texas. The Harris County Tax Office became the first County Tax Office in Texas to bring automation in all areas of Tax Office operations by replacing all of its core business systems in Property Tax Collection, Automotive Registration, and Voter Registration with 21st Century State of the Art Systems which quickly became industry standards. It was because of his implementation of Technology, "Smart Government" policies, and Best Business Practices that the Tax Office was able to increase the number of Taxing Jurisdictions it served from 44 to 65 during his tenure while keeping his yearly 25 million dollar operating budget flat over his decade long term of service.

His resume prior to taking public office included providing consulting services for clients in Industry and Government, serving as V.P. of Sales and Director of Sales and Marketing for the Industrial Systems' Chemical, Oil and Gas Division of a large multinational firm where he oversaw an annual sales budget of $100 million and managing national accounts in the robotics industry both nationwide and abroad. Now, Paul brings the same customer service effort, technology experience, and Best Business Practices to his team at Bettencourt Tax Advisors, LLC where his decades of experience in property tax services, industrial/commercial sales, and marketing management will make a real difference for taxpayers.

Mr. Bettencourt spent his career in the financial and real estate industries initially as a vice president with Texas Commerce Bancshares, then vice president of a national real estate investment services and consulting firm. With the wealth of experience and knowledge gained through his employment in the banking and real estate investment industries, Mark opened his own firm, Bettencourt & Associates, providing real estate investment and consulting services to private, corporate, and institutional concerns. His career has allowed Mark to get involved in many aspects of the commercial real estate business, including new business development, property evaluations, investment analysis, market analysis, marketing and contract negotiations for the acquisition, sale, and financing of office, retail, industrial, multi-family residential, and other commercial property projects. In addition he was involved in asset management of commercial real estate portfolios negotiation of loan restructurings (individually and as a team leader handling portfolios up to and in excess of $500 million) property due diligence the preparation of investment offerings and the project management and resolution of complex real estate litigation involving environmental issues.

Some of the notable accomplishments of his firm are leading a team to resolve all Brio Superfund litigation of approximately 1,500 tort claims, 600 individual property mortgages, and more managing a client's 950,000 sq. ft. portfolio of Houston-area office buildings successfully renegotiating Marathon Oil Corporation occupancy in what was then the largest office space lease in Houston office building history and the reorganization, refinancing, and oversight of an 80-megawatt cogeneration facility in New York for private interests.

Mark received a Masters of Business Administration in Finance and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting & Economics from Texas A&M University. He is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant and Real Estate Broker in the State of Texas. In his spare time Mark is actively involved in community service having chaired or been on the board of many prominent organizations including The Gladney Fund The Gladney Center for Adoption The Gladney Cup the Texas A&M University, Lowry Mays College & Graduate School of Business and Chapelwood United Methodist Church, Boy Scout Troop 641, one the largest troops in the nation and Holy Spirit Episcopal School.