Beth Bales: Thursday's Your Last Chance to Appeal Your Tax Assessment

Genevans unhappy with their property assessment have only a few more days to do anything that could impact the tax bill they’re going to receive next May. Thursday, Nov. 17, is the deadline for filing an appeal on assessments in Geneva Township with the Kane County Board of Review. 

Geneva Township Assessor Denise Lacure said to date, only 32 appeals by township residents have been filed with the county, far less than usual.

And township residents may want to start with her office, instead of going right to the county level.

“If we find an error, if their assessment is not equitable, if there’s an exemption they’re entitled to, we make the change” quickly, she said. “Our philosophy is to work with the taxpayers.”

This year was a quadrennial assessment year, with all land and all buildings revalued for uniformity. Lacure believes the re-evaluation process resulted in tightening uniformity and thus, people are more accepting of the appraisal results.

“Last year we would have people four or five deep waiting to see me,” she said. “Now it’s one or two a day.” Phone calls similarly have dropped off. 

Genevans (and those throughout Kane County) can learn more about the taxing process and the appeals process, two short days before the appeals deadline.

At 6 pm. Tuesday, the Kane County Board of Review will hold the seventh of nine planned 2011 “Property Tax Clinics” for Kane taxpayers.

On the agenda:

• Help taxpayers understand how property taxes work, including an explanation of recent changes in the law.
• Dispel myths about taxes and assessments.
• Explain the appeals process and provide the necessary forms and rules for filing appeals.
• Provide an opportunity for taxpayers to make sure that have all homestead exemptions to which they are entitled.

The clinic will be held in the auditorium of Building A of the Kane County Government Center, 719 S. Batavia Ave., Geneva.

Property owners, this is your chance to have the frequently mystifying process of property taxes explained. For those who asked, when they received their tax bills in early May, “How can the bill be up, when home values are down?” 

And, as was said last May in response: “Tax bills go up, because governments spend more money,” said Mark Armstrong, Kane County supervisor of assessments. “It’s as simple as that.”

But assessments, appeals, levies and valuation are not simple for many of us. Here’s a chance to understand. Two more clinics are scheduled, for Dec. 6 and Dec. 20.

For more information, people may call the Board of Review office at 630-208-3818. For more information on Geneva Township assessments, call Lacure at 630-232-3604.