Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Beacon System topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cook County schedules Jan. 27 public hearing on new 'Beacon' property‑tax system fees
Summary
The board set a public hearing for Jan. 27, 2026 at 9 a.m. to consider fee changes tied to the county's new 'Beacon' property‑tax system after staff said the online system was down pending fee negotiations.
The Cook County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to establish a public hearing for Jan. 27, 2026 at 9 a.m. to consider establishing fees for the county's new Beacon property‑tax system.
Brady, a county staff member, asked the board to add the hearing to the agenda because fee negotiations were still underway and the online system was not yet available to the public. "Specifically, this would be for the the fees for the, new beacon system ... until it gets settled, the system, the online system is down," Brady said.
Commissioner Sullivan moved to set the hearing; the motion was supported and passed without opposition. Commissioners and staff discussed preparing a plain‑language article explaining the change so the public can respond meaningfully at the hearing. Administrator Bridal said staff planned an article to be posted on Jan. 16 to explain the change and the public‑hearing process.
Why it matters: The Beacon system is described at the meeting as a redesign of property‑tax access and information for property owners; changes to fees for using the vendor's online services require a public hearing before the board can authorize them.
Next steps: County staff will publish explanatory materials in advance of the Jan. 27 hearing; the board will hold the hearing and then decide whether to adopt any fee changes after public comment.
