Senior Property Tax Break Deadline Extended

The Cook County Assessor's Office extended the senior property tax exemption deadline two weeks, from Wednesday, Feb. 6, to Wednesday, Feb. 20. The exemptions are for residents 65 and over.

Senior citizens in Cook County who are eligible for property tax exemptions have a little bit of extra time to file, thanks to a deadline extension from the Cook County Assessor. The deadline, which was formerly Wednesday, Feb. 6, was pushed back to Wednesday, Feb. 20, giving residents 65 and older two more weeks to file for their tax break forms. The forms are available online at www.CookCountyAssessor.com.  The tax break forms are for 2012 property taxes, which are to be paid in 2013. The savings will be shown on the second installment of tax bills set to be mailed in July of this year. All homeowners born before 1947 are eligible for the Senior Exemption, regardless of income, which reduces property taxes by about $330. Some homeowners …

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Cook County Seniors Urged to File for Property Tax Breaks

The Cook County Assessor's Office recently mailed a reminder to county senior citizens to file for 2012 property tax breaks. Forms must be completed and mailed to the Assessor's Office by Wednesday, Feb. 6.

Senior citizens in Cook County eligible for property tax exemptions have until Wednesday, Feb. 6, to file the proper paperwork to receive their tax break, according to a mailing sent out by the Cook County Assessor's Office. Residents over the age of 65 should have received the mailing in early January, but residents who just turned 65 may not have gotten them yet, according to an email from the office. “Taxpayers who recently turned 65 will not receive application forms when the senior renewal forms are mailed,” Orland Park Assessor Richard E. Kelly said. “I encourage such individuals to call my office to obtain the forms and information necessary to receive the senior benefits." Kelly said the forms are also available online at www.…

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D210 Gets $69M Property Tax Extension

The Lincoln-Way High School District received about $4.5 million less in taxes than requested. Supt. Lawrence Wyllie also said the district could avoid issuing tax anticipation warrants.

The Lincoln-Way High School District 210 will receive $69.9 million in property taxes this year, Supt. Lawrence Wyllie announced Thursday. In December, the school board approved a property tax levy of $74,416,681, or about $3 million less than in 2010.  School districts must approve their tax levies in December, and that's before the official assessed valuation of homes is determined. Thus, the district always requests more in taxes than it will actually get. Wyllie said the district's assessed valuation has decreased $169 million, accounting for an increase in the tax rate.  "But the amount of taxes is offset by the loss of state aid," Wyllie said. "Total revenue probably goes down a bit or stays flat." Property taxes make up about 65 …

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Lincoln-Way District Proposes Slightly Lower Tax Levy Than 2010

High School District 210 administrators presented the annual tax levy plan to the Board of Education on Thursday night. Officials said taxes would remain flat for many or increase by about $10.

The Lincoln-Way High School District plans to keep taxes at about the same rate as last year. District 210 Assistant Supt. Ron Sawin presented the Board of Education with the annual tax levy plan Thursday night, getting approval to go forward with the process of holding a public hearing and publishing a legal notice. The district plans to levy $74,416,681, which is about $3 million less than last year's levy. Factoring in a 1.5 percent increase for the Consumer Price Index, taxes for the average resident should remain flat or increase by that 1.5 percent. Sawin said a resident with a home valued at $300,000 would see up to $10 or $15 more on the District 210 portion of the tax bill. "That's in recognition of what's happening with the …

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Area Parents and School Board Officials Oppose School District Consolidation Bill

Using social media to get the initial word out, residents in District 146 and officials in other districts are gathering to express strong opposition to House Bill 1886.

A bill entered into the Illinois House of Representatives that would end school districts as they are now known and replace them with one or two districts per county has sparked ire from parents and school officials. House Bill 1886, filed Feb. 16 by 28th District Rep. Robert Rita (D-Blue Island), calls for “all school districts in this State in existence on June 30, 2012 (other than the Chicago school district) are dissolved, and their school boards are abolished.” The bill was introduced around the time Gov. Pat Quinn’s office suggested that the state could save $100 million by eliminating 500 of the state’s 868 school districts to cut administrative costs, according to Illinois Statehouse News reporter Andrew Thomason. However, local …

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Allen De Normandie

2:37 pm on Saturday, March 19, 2011

DEan, I totally agree! Allen   more ›

Cook County's Property Tax: The Motion Picture

Learn the crazy system Cook has for assessing home values and what could be driving your tax bill up.

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Southland Stories

Hot Topics: Patch Readers Have Their Say

Local government run amok. Death Row gets an undeserved favor. Teen-aged losers in the thrall of the Dark Side. Just a sampling of the commentary offered by readers on the Southland's Patches in recent days.

On "Oak Lawn Finishes Strong in 2010" from Oak Lawn Patch How can you paint the trim of a house when you can't afford your own medication or food? Is the village going to help? NO! They fine, impose and persecute instead of asking - "Hey - do you need some help?" Beautify??? Sure - after they make it really hard if you are on a fixed income or no income... Instead of writing tickets to those in need (retirees, unemployed) - why not ask - "Is there a reason?" or "Can we help you get this done?" We have youth in this village who need community service - why not use the resources and HELP your neighbor instead of STRESSing your neighbor??? I would love to have a village that REACHES out to help it's own neighbors instead of hurting its own…

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D230 Votes Down 3.2% Levy Hike, Will Eye Lower Figures

Following concerns about high taxes throughout the region, the board will consider asking for less than they're due of the property tax bill.

Citing the concerns of burdened taxpayers, the District 230 School Board on Thursday night rejected a previous plan to ask taxpayers for 3.2 percent more than they received this year. Instead of that increase, which would have added $35 to $45 to the tax bill of an average home, the district will look at an increase of 0.5 percent to 1 percent. A 1-percent increase would add about $15 to the average tax bill, district Assistant Superintendent for Business Services Steve Langert said Thursday. The district's portion of the tax bill on a home valued at $325,000 to $350,000 is currently about $1,400, Langert said last month. The vote against the 3.2 percent increase was unanimous, except for absent board member Frank Grabowski.  If the …

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Village: Pricey Projects Won’t Cost Tinley Park Residents Extra

Tinley Park will soon implement some pricey overhauls around town and, if all goes as planned, the projects will cost residents little to nothing extra.

Tinley Park is set to undertake a host of expensive projects and renovations, but village officials said residents will not be burdened with the bill. "We are actually (going to) fix sewer systems, build a train station (and) add 60,000 square feet to the convention center with absolutely no cost to the taxpayer," Gregory Hannon, a village trustee and member of Tinley Park's Finance and Economic Development Committee, said at the committee's Wednesday night meeting in Village Hall. "(And all this) in, I might add, the middle of a recession." How do you pull off such a feat? The committee passed a motion Wednesday to recommend to the entire Village Board that Tinley Park begin issuing $11,660,000 worth of bonds for these projects. Instead …

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