Assessor warns township of Cook County tax-billing delays and reconciliation problems
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Summary
Riverside Township's assessor told trustees that Cook County's new tax-billing system has delayed mailing of bills and refunds and is causing reconciliation errors; trustees were told bills must be mailed by Feb.27 to meet the 30-day legal notice for the April 1 due date.
Riverside Township Assessor Sasser told the board that Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas's new tax-billing system continues to experience problems that have delayed mailing, interfered with accounting reconciliation and held up refunds to taxpayers.
Sasser said the system transition created cashiering and coding issues, including rounding and data-transfer errors that have left some property owners without posted tax bills. Because the township relies on county timelines for property-tax disbursements, Sasser urged trustees to note the county mailing deadline of Feb.27 so residents would have the statutorily required 30 days’ notice before the April 1 first-installment due date.
Trustees asked how the county issues might affect township receipts and the assessor said that while refunds and delays can create timing differences for individual taxpayers, historically the township’s budget has not been materially affected. Sasser said a busy spring is expected for the assessor’s office as appeals and certification processes conclude and the office coordinates with the county.
The board heard that some refunds tied to certificates of error remain unpaid and that publication of the board of review results may wait until certification; Sasser said those timelines could affect when reassessment and related processes occur. Trustees did not take a formal vote on any county-mandated action but recorded the assessor’s analysis and directed staff to monitor county postings and distributions.