Niles Township Assessor Scott Bagnall
                                           Niles Township Government website

(These notices are posted in a reverse chronological order, the most recent appears first, the oldest appears last.)

2012 Exemption Forms
1/6/13

    I have received the 2012 tax year Homeowner Exemption and Senior Freeze forms. The Cook County Assessor intended to mail these forms on 1/4/13 so you should receive yours soon. If not, then you can download these forms here by clicking above on the desired form.

   The deadline for filing the completed form with Cook County is 2/6/13. I will deliver forms that I have received by 2/3/13 to Cook County.

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Assessed Value Appeal Preparation Seminar
Tuesday, January 8, 2013, 7:00pm
Niles Township Assessor
5255 W. Main St, Skokie
Tax Year 2012 Appeal to Board of Review


The Board of Review will accept filing of Niles Township appeals from 1/7/13 through 2/5/13.

This appeal time is for 2012 property tax appeals. If you have filed an appeal with the Cook County Assessor for 2012 you may now appeal to the Board of Review.

And if you did not file a 2012 assessed value appeal to the Cook County Assessor you may appeal to the Board of Review anyway.

At the seminar we will discuss the procedure and evidence required for filing a 2012 appeal to the Board of Review. I will have appeal forms and I will accept appeals at the seminar. Please bring your 2010 and 2011 2nd Installment Tax Bills (the yellow bill, not the blue).

Seating is limited so please RSVP by e-mail to mail@NilesTownshipAssessor.com.

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And coming at some point during 2013 . . .

Tax year and the year in which an appeal is filed, or in which the tax bill is issued, are not necessarily the same. This is because property tax bills are issued in the year following the tax year. So 2011 property tax bills were issued and payable in 2012. 2012 property tax bill will be issued and due in 2013 and so on.

The Cook County Assessor last reassessed Niles Township in 2010. We will be reassessed in 2013. The 2013 reassessment will affect the 2013 property tax, which will be due to be paid in 2014.

Please remember that we appeal assessed values, not tax bills. Therefore, it is imperative that taxpayers recognize that the time to complain about the 2013 reassessment (when it comes out later in 2013) is when the property is reassessed in 2013, not when the 2013 tax bill is issued in 2014. Once they are scheduled, I will send relevant appeal date notices to my e-mail list.

Scott Bagnall
Niles Township Assessor

Third Property Tax Seminar
10/1/12, 7:00 pm,
Township Assessor Office of Scott Bagnall
5255 W. Main Street, Skokie.

Due to overwhelming demand, I am going to add a third Property Tax Seminar to take place on

10/1/12, 7:00 pm at my office, 5255 W. Main St., Skokie.

Because I had received maximum capacity seating reservations for both of the previous seminars, a number of people had to be turned away. I am adding this third seminar to accommodate them and for anyone who feels a desire to attend the seminar a second time.

Scott Bagnall, Niles Township Assessor, will lead a property tax discussion concerning a 2012 assessed value appeal, the 2013 Niles Township reassessment, and current factors and trends that may tend to cause an increase in your property tax bill.

Space is limited so please send an e-mail to mail@NilesTownshipAssessor.com to reserve a seat. Also, check NilesTownshipAssessor.com to confirm date, time, agenda and location. And, if you e-mail questions and concerns to mail@NilesTownshipAssessor.com, Scott Bagnall will work them into the discussion.
 
I strongly encourage the use of e-mail (mail@NilesTownshipAssessor.com) for registration, but you may stop by the office or call if you are unable to register by e-mail.

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9/15/12 and 9/16/12: I will have the office open on Saturday 9/15 and Sunday 9/16 between 11:00 am and 4:00 PM for taxpayers requiring off business hours assistance.

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9/5/12

The Cook County Assessor is now accepting appeals of 2012 Niles Township assessed values 

            Today, I was informed by the Cook County Assessor’s office that they opened Niles Township for appeals on 9/4/12. The deadline to file an appeal is 10/4/12. 

            This time period is to appeal Niles Township 2012 assessed values to the Cook County Assessor. 

      Remember that 2012 is the third year of the Niles Township assessment period. We were reassessed in 2010 for tax years 2010, 2011 and 2012. 

            In 2013 the Cook County Assessor will reassess Niles Township for tax years 2013, 2014 and 2015. 

           Also please keep in mind that there will be an opportunity (sometime in the future but I do not have a date yet) to appeal the 2012 assessed values to the Cook County Board of Review. You do not have to file an appeal with the Cook County Assessor as a prerequisite to filing an appeal with the Board of Review. 

            I had anticipated that the Cook County Assessor would open Niles Township towards the end of September which is why I scheduled property tax seminars for 9/25/12 and 9/27/12.

I will proceed with the 9/25 and 9/27 seminars because I intend to discuss issues other than a 2012 assessed value appeal.  And, there will be sufficient time following these seminars within which to file an appeal. But . . . just in case some taxpayers would like to come in to the office and file an appeal prior to the seminars I will adjust my hours as follows: 

            Modified Office Hours 

Monday           9/10/12            12:00 pm  - 8:00 pm 

Tuesday          9/11/12            12:00 pm - 8:00 pm 

Wednesday     9/12/12            8:00 am - 4:00 pm 

Thursday         9/13/12            8:00 am - 4:00 pm 

Friday              9/14/12            11:00 am - 6:30 pm 

            Send me an e-mail if you really truly can not make it in to the office during any of these times, letting me know what days and times would work for you. 

Scott Bagnall, Niles Township Assessor


Property Tax Seminar
Additional Date 9/25/12, 7:00 pm,
Office of Niles Township Assessor Scott Bagnall

 5255 W. Main Street, Skokie.

The Property Tax Seminar scheduled for Thursday 9/27/12 is reserved seating and the seating capacity of the room has been reached.

I will schedule an additional Property Tax Seminar for Tuesday 9/25/12, same location, same registration procedure.

The way that we are set up here, if a person registers for 9/27/12, and also registers for 9/25/12, then both reservations will be cancelled. We can accommodate a small number of substitutions for taxpayers who need to attend Tuesday instead of Thursday, but you must specifically make that request in an e-mail.

I strongly encourage the use of e-mail (mail@NilesTownshipAssessor.com) for registration, but you may stop by the office or call if you are unable to register by e-mail.

Scott Bagnall, Niles Township Assessor, will lead a property tax discussion concerning a 2012 assessed value appeal, the 2013 Niles Township reassessment, and current factors and trends that may tend to cause an increase in your property tax bill.

Space is limited so please send an e-mail to mail@NilesTownshipAssessor.com to reserve a seat. Also, check NilesTownshipAssessor.com to confirm date, time, agenda and location. And, if you e-mail questions and concerns to mail@NilesTownshipAssessor.com, Scott Bagnall will work them into the discussion.

If you wish to discuss your tax bill then it's a good idea to bring your 2nd Installment tax bills for the past few years. If you wish to compare your tax bill to the tax bill of someone else then you should also bring that person's 2nd Installment tax bill for the past few years.



Property Tax Seminar
9/27/12, 7:00 pm,
Township Assessor Office of Scott Bagnall
Scott Bagnall, Niles Township Assessor, will lead a property tax discussion concerning a 2012 assessed value appeal, the 2013 Niles Township reassessment, and current factors and trends that may tend to cause an increase in your property tax bill.

Space is limited so please send an e-mail to mail@NilesTownshipAssessor.com to reserve a seat. Also, check NilesTownshipAssessor.com to confirm date, time, agenda and location. And, if you e-mail questions and concerns to mail@NilesTownshipAssessor.com , Scott Bagnall will work them into the discussion.



2nd Installment 2011 Tax Bill Issues 7/13/12

Extended Hours 7/9/12

No Debt 5/3/12

Tax Bills in July ???? 5/2/12

Long Time Exemption Explained 4/25/12

Senior Freeze 3/1/12



2/17/12 All Purpose Room Available

Niles Township announces that it will make its all purpose room available for public use. You will have to bear with us as we determine the protocols. Initially, we would like to make this room available to groups that benefit the citizens of Niles Township. By way of example, not limitation, this could include girl scouts, boy scouts, VFW, hobby clubs, possibly private gatherings and etc. At this point in time the room would be generally available Monday through Friday between 8:00 and 4:45.

We can configure and set up the all purpose room in a number of ways. We have televisions for TV, DVD and computer display. The room will seat sixty for presentations or we can set the room up with conference tables or round tables or a combination of all of the above. There is a refrigerator and a microwave. There are six computers with internet access that can be made available for individuals engaged in property tax assessed value searches or job searches. We will consider off hour use requests on a case by case basis.

Please e-mail Niles Township Assessor Scott Bagnall at mail@NilesTownshipAssessor.com for scheduling, specifically describing your desired use and needs.




Board of Review Appeals 1/25/12 

Board of Review Seminar
2/4/12, 10:00 am
Niles Township Assessor’s office
5255 W. Main St., Skokie

I have just learned that our Cook County Commissioner, Larry Suffredin, will be available to co sponsor this Board of Review appeal seminar. Over the years, Larry has repeatedly proven himself a friend of, and a resource for, Niles Township taxpayers. I am pleased to find that once again he will join us by co sponsoring this seminar.
   

     The Cook County Board of Review will accept appeals for Niles Township properties from 1/24/12 through 2/22/12. You may file these appeals in my office from 1/24/12 through 2/21/12. Niles Township was reassessed for the 2010 tax year. The 2010 reassessment is for tax years 2010, 2011 and 2012. We paid the 2010 taxes in 2011.

This appeal period is for appeal of 2011 assessed values, not the 2010 assessed value or tax bill.

As always, my office is open to assist all Niles Township taxpayers, retail, commercial and industrial as well as residential. Scott Bagnall, Niles Township Assessor, 5255 W. Main Street, Skokie, Illinois, 847/673-9300.

I will sponsor a residential appeal preparation seminar on Saturday, February 4, at 10:00 am, at my office. Seating is limited so please call the office at 847/673-9300 or send an e-mail to mail@NilesTownshipAssessor.com to reserve your seat.

If commercial, industrial and retail taxpayers would call the office I will set a day and time for an appeal seminar for these classes of property tax payers.


1/23/12  I have posted forms concerning the Senior Citizen Property Tax Deferral Program. Please make absolutely certain that you understand the terms of this program if you intend to participate. You may call me at 847/673-9300 if you wish to discuss this program. The filing deadline is 3/1/12.


10/18/11   Niles Township Assessor Scott Bagnall will keep the office open this Monday (October 24, 2011) evening until 8:00 pm, or as late as it takes to assist the people who arrive before 8:00 pm, to service tax bill and appeal issues.


Please note that the deadline to appeal a 2011 assessed value is October 27, 2011. BUT if you want to file it with me, and have me deliver your appeal downtown, then you need to give the appeal to me no later than October 26. 


10/11/11 More extended hours. I will open the office this Saturday (October 15, 2011) at 9:00 am to assist taxpayers with 2011 appeal issues. I will make a short presentation of considerations on appeal followed by assistance with appeal form preparation.

Please keep the following tips in mind:

-We cannot appeal the 2nd Installment 2010 tax bill;

-2010 was a reassessment year. The reassessment market value is for 2010, 2011 and 2012; and

-The market value target date for a 2011 market value appeal is 1/1/10.

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10/6/11     As the last taxpayer left the office tonight, she looked at the poster that points out that it takes just $29 from a representative tax bill to run all aspects of Niles Township government, and said "well I sure got my $29 worth."

               So stop by my office with property tax questions and/or to file a 2011 assessed value appeal to get your $29 worth.

                  I will keep the office open this Tuesday, October 11, 2011, evening until 8:00 pm, or as late as it takes to assist the people who arrive by 8:00 pm, to service tax bill and appeal issues.


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10/5/11   Niles Township Assessor Scott Bagnall will keep the office open this Thursday (October 6,2011) evening until 7:00 pm, or as late as it takes to assist the people who arrive before 7:00 pm, to service tax bill and appeal issues.


 

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9/27/11   This year we get a double yippie. The window within which to appeal Niles Township 2011 assessed values to the Cook County Assessor is now open - through October 27, 2011. So we have two things going on at the same time. Two separate things. 2010 tax bills are one thing. Appeal of the 2011 assessed value is another thing (and is unrelated to the 2010 tax bill). Come to my office for assistance with 2011 assessed value issues and appeals.

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    9/27/11  I expect that the Cook County Treasurer will mail the 2nd Installment 2010 tax bills this week and that we should have them in our mail boxes by Monday, October 3, 2011. Yippie.


     Please check, and help your friends and neighbors to check, that exemptions to which you, or they, are entitled appear on the 2010 2nd Installment tax bill. Again, if you are not sure, then stop by my office, 5255 W. Main St., Skokie AND REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR 2nd INSTALLMENT  TAX BILL  

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    8/29/11. I have been told that there exists an anticipation that the Cook County Treasurer will mail the 2nd installment 2010 tax bills near the end of September with a due date at the beginning of November, 2011.


    Again, I want to remind taxpayers who have in previous years received tax bill reductions on account of assessed value freezes or assessed value increase caps that, while they may still qualify for the exemption, it just might not result in a tax bill reduction for 2010. Actually, I will not be surprised to see very significant tax bill increases in some situations.

     Here's why:
   1. Many folks believe that because the market value of their property has decreased that therefore the amount of the tax bill will decrease. Not so. It just doesn’t work that way. The Cook County Clerk calculates the tax rate by dividing the total Equalized Assessed Value of all properties within a tax code area into the total amount of money requested by all of the taxing bodies within that area. So, if the market values increase, the tax bill stays the same. If the market values decrease, the tax bill stays the same.

   2. Many of our customers receive the benefit of a reduced tax bill on account of a senior citizen assessed value freeze. There exists potential for some huge upside swings here.


  Market values have decreased and the assessed values have therefore decreased. So, a senior who froze her assessed value when her market value was $100,000 and then watched her market value increase to $150,000, enjoyed a 33 1/3% tax bill discount over what she otherwise might have paid.


   But, what happens now that her market value has fallen back to $100,000? She still qualifies for the senior citizen assessed value freeze, but she does not benefit from that exemption. There’s no increase in market value to exempt. From her perspective then, she is now going to see a 50% increase in her tax bill.

Some other points:

   We deal with assessed values. We help with exemptions, which tend to reduce assessed values. We help with analyzing an assessed value. And assisting a tax payer with appealing assessed values at the designated times.We do not set assessed values. We do not make the laws that control property taxation. That’s Springfield.

    Unfortunately, we can’t reduce a tax bill. Again, we deal with assessed values, not tax bills. But we do empathize. We all live in the area. We all pay property tax. We don’t necessarily like tax bills any more than do our customers.


    On the 2009 tax bill, our tax rate, for all of Niles Township and for all of the services that we provide, was 3.2 cents. A customer with a $200,000 house would have paid $21.56 for all of the Niles Township services. That’s $21.56 out of a $5,459.56 tax bill in Skokie. ($200,000 x 10% = 20,000 x 3.3701 = 67,402/100 x .032 = $21.56 [ or, x 8.21 = 5,459.56].


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Larry Suffredin, Cook County Commissioner for the 13th District, and I will co-sponsor a Board of Review appeal preparation seminar:


Monday, March 14, 2011
6:30 pm
American Legion
6140 West Dempster St
Morton Grove

   These co-sponsored seminars offer insight into the Cook County property tax system and the appeal process from a number of perspectives.


   We have asked Board of Review staff to make the presentation. Over the years Commissioner Suffredin has proven a valuable friend of Niles Township and has always jumped in without hesitation to lend us assistance.



NEW * * * NEW * * * NEW * * * NEW

Board of Review Appeal
Meet with Assessor Bagnall
Saturday
February 26, 2011
9:00 am
Niles Township Assessor
5255 W. Main St.
Skokie
RSVP to 847/673-9300 or
mail@NilesTownshipAssessor.com (and please state whether or not you attended the 2/22/11 appeal seminar)


   I am adding this Saturday morning meeting to the schedule. We had an overflow of attendees at the appeal seminar last night. I am concerned that because of the overflow that some people may not have had adequate opportunity to receive assistance. I do apologize for that but please keep a number of facts in mind.


- Typically, I receive very short notice that the Board of Review has opened for appeal, although this time I did have a week which is more notice than usual;
- In the past it was difficult to relay that notice to the taxpayers;
- Now, with e-mail notification (you do need to add your name through this website to receive e-mail notices) I can get the notice out quickly, and as the e-mail notification list grows, I see a greater response;
- I wanted to schedule the appeal seminar at the beginning of the appeal period so that tax payers have time to gather evidence;
- When you look around at some other township, municipal, and other property tax funded buildings you notice grand, elaborate structures, for which someone (the taxpayer) pays. Here, at Niles Township, we elect to make do with what we have (and we are perfectly happy to do so). But, we do have difficulty accommodating a very large group;
- It is difficult to anticipate the need for, and schedule, a larger, alternate location, such as a library, on this short notice;
- I had asked tax payers to RSVP so that we could estimate attendance and the number of RSVP’s was right at our maximum accommodation ability; and
- The number of people who showed up last night greatly exceeded the number of people who had RSVP’d.


And so . . .

- I will add this special meeting to the schedule. The issues on Saturday are limited to appeal of the 2010 reassessment to the Cook County Board of Review. Deadline to file is 3/23/11.


Please understand that I need an estimate of how many people intend to attend so that I can prepare accordingly. So please RSVP.


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Scott Bagnall to Sponsor a

Board of Review Appeal

Workshop on

Tuesday 2/22/11

    Please join us on Tuesday, 2/22/11 for an appeal preparation seminar. Assessor Scott Bagnall will lead a discussion about how to appeal your 2010 reassessment to the Cook County Board of Review. Niles Township Assessor, 5255 W. Main Street, Skokie, 7:00 pm. Bring your 2010 Notice of Proposed Reassessment, any reassessment appeal correspondence from the Cook County Assessor, and your 2nd Installment 2009 tax bill.

    Seating is limited so preference will be given to those who A) have RSVP'd and B) have arrived by 6:50 pm. Please RSVP by calling the receptionist at 847/673-9300 or by e-mail, Mail@NilesTownshipAssessor.com. Please do not call my office to RSVP. We are extremely busy assisting tax payers.


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2/15/11:


Board of Review to Accept Niles Township Appeals During the Period of:

2/22/11 - 3/23/11

    I had a phone call today from Dan Patlak. Dan is the Board of Review Commissioner for District 1 (Niles Township is in District 2). Dan gave us a courtesy call that the appeal period for Niles Township will open from 2/22/11 through 3/23/11. It is nice to have the notice. So thanks Dan. Let’s review some of the considerations for this Board of Review appeal period:


      - Niles Township properties, i.e. all properties within the Township;


        - This is for the 2010 reassessment (mailed around June, 2010);


       - You will see the impact/effect/consequence of the 2010 reassessment on the 2010, 2nd Installment, tax bill, which will come out in the fall of 2011. Since we cannot appeal a tax bill, by the time that you see that tax bill, yes - you guessed it - it will be too late to do anything about that tax bill. So . . .

        - Act now if you think that the Cook County Assessor has stated an incorrect market value for your property;

        - It is not necessary that an appeal was first made to the Cook County Assessor;

        - The first appeal of the 2010 reassessment can be made to the Board of Review;

        - The 2010 reassessment reduced the value of many properties but it is the responsibility of the tax payer to make sure that the reduced market value actually reflects the true market value (maybe it was not reduced enough?);

        - Depending on who you ask, the target date for establishing market value is 1/1/10. A successful appeal will be supported with good, competent, evidence of valuation. An appeal based on “the value of my house went down” will fail. That is not competent evidence.

        - This can get a bit confusing, but a 1/5/2010 sale, or a 8/10/10 sale, for example, does help to establish a 1/1/10 market value. These two example sales might not receive equal weight but each does go to value. Some counter people will tell you that you can not use comparison sales that occur after the target date. If you have such evidence I urge you to submit it anyway. You are building a record.

- Consider also, for example, such evidence as:

           The values of comparable properties;

           Sales of similar properties;

           Attempted sales of similar properties (i.e. listed for sale);

           Refinances and attempted refinances;

           I do NOT recommend that you pay for an appraisal except in very unusual cases;


           Some problem unique to the particular property, such as fire, condition, external nuisance (e.g. there’s now a pig farm 300' upwind);


           - Condos. You need to convince the Condominium Board that they have a responsibility to look into the 2010 reassessment values, especially since I am telling you that I do not believe that some of the condominiums were lowered sufficiently.

           - Commercial properties need to get in there and appeal. None of us like the property tax bills. I live in and pay property taxes in Niles Township, as does my staff. But the businesses that support our community receive much higher tax bills for the same market value than the residential sector receive. It is possible to tax the commercial properties right out of business.

            - Commercial valuations are for the most part based on the income approach to valuation. So figure out the rents for your area and the operating expenses, determine the appropriate cap rate and test your market value. I have seen a number of very substantial commercial assessed value increases for which I do not see market support.


           - My office will assist you pursuant to our protocol. We do not make any charge and there is no filing fee;

          - There is no guarantee that you will succeed, or that if you do succeed that your taxes will actually decrease (see some of my previous postings here) but I can tell you this: If two properties within the same tax code have been valued at $100,000 each, and if one property appeals and obtains a reduction to $80,000, then that property will pay 80% (assume that neither property qualifies for any exemption) of the tax paid by the $100,000 property.


           - I can help you with appeals, but please understand that I do not set market or assessed values here, I do not set levies here and I do not set tax rates here. I do not have an adversary relationship with the taxpayer. My office is here to use our best knowledge to help you A) figure out how to determine whether your value is correct and B) suggest strategies that you might employ on appeal.

           - Please remember that you need evidence to support an appeal. An appeal is not a debate. The loudest voice or most dominant personality does not prevail on appeal. And no whining. A successful appeal must have reliable evidence that demonstrates that your market value should be lower.

* * * * * *


Join me at my office, 5255 W. Main St. Skokie, on Thursday, October 28, 2010, 7:00 p.m. for a seminar:

“HOW THE 2010 REASSESSMENT MIGHT IMPACT NILES TOWNSHIP TAX BILLS”
By Attorney Scott Bagall, Niles Township Assessor

The Cook County Assessor has lowered Niles Township assessed values. Some property tax payers expect to see a corresponding decrease in their 2010 tax bill. Niles Township Assessor Scott Bagnall will lead a discussion and explain how and why this will probably not happen, especially for folks that qualify for base year predicated exemptions such as the senior citizen assessed value freeze and the long time occupant exemption.


Commercial/Industrial/Retail

Appeal Seminar




     I have always recognized and promoted  Niles Township businesses. They are, of course, a vital component of the Township. In terms of property tax, the businesses pay a much higher percentage, on an individual basis, than do residential parcels. I have jurisdiction to assist the commercial, industrial, and retail property tax payers. And the resources of my office have always been available to assist business.

     On Friday, August 13, 2010, at 10:00 am I will work with Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin to offer reassessment explanation and assistance to Niles Township businesses. We will meet at the Morton Grove Village Hall,  6101 W. Capulina.





Residential Appeal

Seminar



     On August 9, 2010, at 7:00 pm I will sponsor, along with Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin, a reassessment appeal seminar. It's not so much whether Cook County raised or lowered an assessment by a particular factor, it's whether the resulting value is correct. I especially encourage condominium board members to attend. We will hold this seminar at the Skokie Public Library, 5215 W. Oakton.



Niles Township

Reassessment Notices

Will be Mailed on July 26, 2010


    The Cook County Assessor reassesses Niles Township properties every three years. 2010 is our year. For the most part* the Cook County Assessor has lowered the assessed values.

    So I tell my good friend Rodney that the assessed values will be reduced by as much as 23% in some cases.
     Rodney says “well, assume that I am reduced like 15%, plus that 12% assessed value reduction last year . . . I’ll see you later.”
    “Where are you going?”    
    “Best Buy. I am going to get me a big screen with the money I am going to save.”
    “Hold on there Rodney. We need to have a talk.”

    I explain to Rodney that the Cook County Assessor has been working to bring the Cook County Assessor stated market values closer to true market values. This is probably the closest it has ever been. But, even with a 15% assessed value reduction, on top of last year’s 12% reduction, Rodney probably will not see a tax bill decrease. He might even see a tax bill increase.
   
    “A 23% assessed value reduction but no tax bill reduction, and, a tax bill increase? You might be a lawyer and a real estate broker and a Certified Illinois Assessing Officer but you better check your calculator batteries because I don’t think that you have a clue” responds Rodney.

    I offer an explanation. Assume that Pretendtown, USA has a total levy ( the combined amount of money requested by the schools, police departments, fire departments, park districts etc. etc.) of $100,000. The town has 50 houses, each of which has a market value of 250,000. Each house has a tax bill of $2,000. Now reduce the market value of each house by 25%, to $187,500.
       
    “Yeah,” says Rodney, “And now each house has a $1,500 tax bill, because of the 25% market value reduction.”

    Not so. Because 50 houses X $1,500 tax bill = $75,000 and the town needs $100,000. So in this simplified explanation a 25% value reduction does not result in any tax bill reduction because each house will still pay $2,000. The tax bill is a function of the relationship of a particular property’s value to the combined value of all of the properties within a taxing district.

    “Yeah, well, whatever, at least I still have my long time occupant exemption and that’s worth a $2,500 reduction on my tax bill.”

    More bad news for Rodney. Exemptions such as the long time occupant and the senior freeze are triggered by value increases over and above a base year. The greater the increase in value, the greater is the benefit of such an exemption. Rodney has a long time occupant exemption. But the 2010 reassessment value is even less than the base year value of Rodney’s exemption. Therefore, Rodney’s long time occupant exemption will not provide a tax bill reduction like Rodney previously received.

    Suzie has been listening and chimes in “I do not qualify for a base year predicated exemption, and if the dollar value of those exemptions is reduced in Niles Township, then that portion of my tax bill that made up for those exemptions granted to others will be reduced. Right”?

    “That’s correct Suzie.”

    " Maybe I should go get a big screen."

    " Not just yet."


    Here's why. No one will know the dollar impact of the 2010 reassessment until the fall of 2011 when the 2nd installment 2010 tax bills are mailed. Some folks will see an unanticipated increase in their tax bills. So it may be a good idea to start budgeting for an increase now. And remember, we do not appeal tax bills, we appeal assessed value. Even with a 2010 reassessment decrease homeowners should check the reassessment market value for accuracy and also compare their market value to similar properties within the same area. If a discrepancy exists, then file an appeal now. The appeal window will remain open through August 27, 2010.


    As always, my office will assist you. 5255 W. Main St. Skokie, 8:00 - 4:30, NilesTownshipAssessor.com.   Add your name to my e-mail notification list to receive relevant e-mails.  

                       

*The condominium at 9655 Wood Drive, Skokie seems to have a 13% value increase, so if you are out there you may wish to contact my office.

 









Scott Bagnall