Chicago is....huh?
Posted on 10/07/2011 10:24:22 AM PDT by Red Badger
CHICAGO (CBS) – It’s sticker shock in the mail. Tax bills went out to Cook County homeowners this week and the big jump in the amount due to many homeowners has some wondering if they can keep their house.
CBS 2′s Dana Kozlov takes a look at how the dramatic jump in property tax bills is affecting people and what you can do about it.
According to the Cook County Clerk’s office, tax rates are up for schools, park districts, municipalities and other government bodies. Some of those tax levies have made double-digit increases in tax rates.
The property tax reality was setting in with Markham homeowner Patricia Taylor on Wednesday.
Asked if she can keep her house after receiving an $8,100 property tax bill, Taylor said, “I don’t know right now. It’s bad right now, it’s really bad.”
That’s because her property tax bill for her three bedroom, one bathroom house shot up from $6,400 last year to $8,100 this year – a whopping 27 percent jump.
Taylor took time on her day off to head to the Cook County Assessor’s office to see if anything could be done for herself and her mother.
“What do they expect? I don’t live in Beverly Hills, I stay in Markham and this is ridiculous,” Taylor said.
Kelley Quinn, spokeswoman for Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios, said the office has had thousands of taxpayers like Taylor walk through their halls this week, wondering what was going on with their bills.
Countywide, property tax bills will jump an average of almost 2.7 percent, according to Quinn.
“What we’re seeing are a lot of anxious people,” Quinn said. “But what we’re also seeing is once they leave here, they’re satisfied and many of them are happy because they are seeing a tax bill that does go down a bit.”
Quinn said many of the people voicing complaints about their tax bills are senior citizens who didn’t apply for their senior exemption, which they must do every year, because of a new law.
Those seniors can still get their exemption with help from the county.
But everyone else? They could be out of luck, because taxing districts – from schools to parks – needed the extra revenue and the taxpayers were forced to foot the bill.
“So your local tax rates are going up, even though your assessments are going down, which results ultimately in a tax bill that could be a little bit higher,” Quinn said.
People who believe their tax bills are incorrectly assessed can appeal through the Cook County Board of Review, but dates for that are very specific and depend on your township.
You can check the Board of Review website or give the office a call at (312) 603-7550 if you have questions.
I believe property owners throughout the USA will be seeing sharply increased tax bills. The local governments have done very little to cut expenses during Obama’s depression.
The Tea Party folks must continue with the message of Limited Government.
Otherwise, government at all levels will bankrupt us.
Can the government just arbitrarily raise the property tax rates in Illinois? In Ohio, I don't think I've seen a property tax increase that wasn't approved by a voter levy.
Last year, in Summit County, Ohio, they lowered the value of my house by $1,500. But they raised the value of my lot by $10,000. I wonder if we have a “Senior Exemption” here?????
I wonder if Patty voted Rat the last few elections, but no worries, the Rats will make sure the newly homeless will be able to vote without a street address.
Chicago is....huh?
I live in Indiana and my property taxes went down this year.
3K sqft home on 10 acres on a lake, $1400/yr.
Thanks Mitch!
Perhaps this is just an example of reaping what one has sown...
Illinois, a no right to work blue state.
You all deserve what you all get.
HIGH TAXES, low employment.
In Florida property values have dropped 50% but our property taxes are higher but no increase in services.
Government of the suckers, by the leeches.....
Suckers. There’s a reason why it’s called Crook County.
Sorry, I have a hard time feeling any sympathy for people who have been voting for Democrats since the end of the last ice age.
The one good thing about living in CA is Prop 13 which limits property tax increases to 2% per year max.
They promised you omlettes, and you said “Yes! I want that!”. They didn’t tell you your life savings were going to be the eggs.
Mine went down in New Hampshire due to good negotiations by the selectman with the police and teacher unions. Not much, but they went down.
Here in FL property taxes are tied to real estate market values. It’s real low right now...........
After Mother passed away, the taxes here doubled. Now, one year later, they doubled again.
You can’t make an omelet unless you break some eggs.........
There will not likely be any relief in the near future.
I would be looking to move to a less greedy state.........
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