Property Tax Assessment Go Up? You Can Appeal

(Chicago)— Did your property tax assessment go up? You can appeal your new assessment with the Cook County Board of Review. The Board of Review will be open for appeals until September 17th for New Trier residents. Cook County Board of Review (BOR) Commissioner Michael M. Cabonargi will host Assessment Appeal workshops on Thursday August 22nd and Wednesday August 28th at 6:30 PM for residents of New Trier Township and surrounding areas.

The BOR is open for filing Property Tax Assessment Appeals at https://appeals.cookcountyboardofreview.com or at BOR workshops. Taxpayers may appeal their assessment for free with the BOR every year. The BOR independently hears assessment appeals and has the authority to change assessments as a check and balance to the Cook County Assessor’s Office.

The workshops will be held at the Wilmette Community Recreation Center (8/22 – 3000 Glenview Rd.) and Wilmette Public Library Auditorium (8/28 - 1242 Wilmette Ave Wilmette) and will let homeowners appeal their property assessment and potentially lower their property tax bills. For tax year 2017, 361,000 Property Index Numbers (PINs) were appealed and 72 percent of residential appellants saw reductions in their assessments. This year, Commissioner Cabonargi will be holding dozens of workshops convenient to residents of every community in the 2nd BOR district, helping thousands of taxpayers file appeals for free..

“The Appeals Workshops bring the services of my office directly to residents, providing more transparency and fairness in the property assessment appeal process,” Commissioner Cabonargi said. “Our workshops educate the public about the appeals process and offer property owners the opportunity to appeal their assessments, provide evidence, and talk with analysts without taking time off of work and coming downtown,” added Commissioner Cabonargi. “We want the property tax appeals process to be fair, open, and convenient to all Cook County residents.”

Commissioner Cabonargi is holding assessment appeal workshops throughout Cook County. The workshops consist of a brief presentation on the assessment and property tax system followed by an opportunity for residents to receive assistance filing appeals, submitting evidence and asking Board of Review analysts questions about the appeal process. Attendees are asked to bring their property tax bills in order to more efficiently file an appeal. The only requirement for a taxpayer to appeal a property assessment is a completed complaint form filed before the township appeal period closes. Taxpayers also have the option of filing a complaint online at www.CookCountyBoardofReview.com.

This appeals year, the Board of Review is continuing to utilize its Digital Appeals Processing System (DAPS). This new system digitalizes the appeals process and allows better, more open access to appealing for property owners. Some of the new features for appellants are individual online BOR appeal accounts for property owners, the ability to upload evidence digitally through the DAPS portal, and the opportunity to track appeals and see results through the taxpayer’s appeal account.

The Cook County Board of Review is a quasi-judicial agency responsible for adjudicating assessment appeals for all property in Cook County. In 2017 the Board reviewed more than 361,000 appeals. Commissioner Michael M. Cabonargi represents the 2nd District of the Cook County Board of Review, which includes much of Chicago and Northern and Northwestern suburbs. Please contact Commissioner Cabonargi’s office at (312) 603-5562 with any questions. For more information, please go to www.CookCountyBoardofReview.com.