Kane County assessor highlights DevNetWedge tools and low complaint rates after 2023 general assessment

Supervisor of Assessments Mark Armstrong told the Kane County Public Service Committee on May 22 that the assessor’s office is using online tools and short videos to help taxpayers understand the assessment complaint process and reduce filings.

Armstrong said the county’s DevNetWedge site had 91,135 unique visits in April and 425,135 lookups of property data; he said those tools let taxpayers view three years of local sales data, file assessment complaints, and watch a series of six short how‑to videos. Armstrong said the videos and online self‑service options reduce staff workload and that homeowners who file complaints after using the tools have a higher success rate than those who hire attorneys.

Armstrong provided statistics for 2024 showing 511 residential complaints countywide—about 0.32% of properties—and explained the normal pattern of higher complaint volumes in the year following a general assessment (2023 was a general assessment year). He also described how taxing districts and taxpayers can file complaints and noted that local taxing bodies rarely use that authority in Kane County.

Committee members asked about year‑over‑year complaint counts, the property tax appeal process and timing, and whether institutional property owners use simple metrics such as “cost per door” as valuation inputs. Armstrong said most granular valuation questions are handled by township assessors; his office performs review and equalization and maintains public data.

Armstrong encouraged board members and the public to use the county’s online resources and the Kane County Quick Guide to Property Taxes, which includes extension totals and contact information for major taxing districts. He said those tools are designed to reduce unnecessary appeals and to direct taxpayers to the appropriate taxing district for substantive budget or service questions.

Armstrong said he will discuss in a future meeting the importance and cost implications of late tax bills and noted the bureaucratic and travel costs associated with Property Tax Appeal Board hearings in Springfield.

The committee did not take a formal vote on assessment policy at this meeting; members requested continued public outreach and offered to meet with assessors or township representatives on specific valuation concerns.