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Assessor outlines Board of Review activity, explains why assessments rose and how errors are corrected
Summary
The assessor reported the Board of Review processed 776 dockets since December 6, including clerical corrections and taxpayer appeals, and explained Illinois's 33 1/3% of market-value requirement and a 13.21% multiplier used in the last reassessment cycle.
The assessor told the committee the Board of Review has processed 776 dockets since December 6: 379 clerical/assessor error changes, 326 taxpayer complaint appeals and 70 office-initiated changes for miscellaneous reasons. The assessor said the board had 131 hearings scheduled as of March 4.
The assessor explained why many taxpayers see higher bills even though recorded transactions (number of dockets) are down: under Illinois law assessors must value property at one-third (33 1/3%) of market value, and the state monitors whether assessments match that target. When the state determines a jurisdiction is below the target, a multiplier adjustment can be applied; the assessor said the most recent multiplier applied to the county was 13.21%, which materially raised assessed values.
The assessor described the limited circumstances under which the county can change an assessment after notices are published: clerical errors or events that existed as of the assessment date (Jan. 1) such as fire or demolitions can be corrected via a certificate of error. "If they get their assessment and say, 'that's too high,' we can only change something if there was a clerical error," the assessor said.
The assessor urged committee members to schedule time with the assessor's office to review assessment processes so board members are better prepared when taxpayers call after tax bills mail in May.
The committee accepted the assessor's report.
