A community meeting at New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church on Dec.8 brought residents together for property tax information and on-site assistance.
With Dec. 15 as the looming deadline to pay the second installment of the 2024 Cook County property taxes, the meeting was a way to share information on how to get help from tax assessors including obtaining further tax exemptions.
According to the Chicago Tribune, this year’s median residential property tax bills reflect last year’s citywide reassessment, which saw sharp increases on the South and West sides amid rising real estate investment. Homeowners in neighborhoods such as Englewood, West Garfield Park and North Lawndale are facing bills that have doubled or more, while wealthier areas of the city saw much smaller increases.
City officials and community leaders met with residents to explain property tax exemptions, how to apply for them and the certificate of error process for missed exemptions or property evaluations. They provided guidance on eligibility, walked residents through their bills and set up tables where people could apply or correct their exemptions on the spot.
Dorothy Rosenthal, a West Garfield Park resident, said she was assessed at 133% like many others and with half the neighborhood still recovering from a flood in 2023, she questioned how property values could be raised so drastically.
“How can you assess property with a 133% increase in value? Here’s the issue: the certificate does not pay your tax bill. When taxes go up, if you don’t own your home outright, your estimate goes up,” Rosenthal said.
North Lawndale resident Abraham House-EL explained that his own tax bills have skyrocketed despite living on a block with roughly 15 vacant lots, which makes the rising assessments feel unjust. At 70 years old and hoping to retire, he says all he wants is for officials to “make it make sense.”
“I’ve got two tax bills over a 48-month period. One of them is $1,324 for a single installment and this year, the installment is $5,053. I’m at a point in my life when I should be retiring. Why are my property taxes going up? How can the taxes on my block increase when there are nearly 15 vacant lots,” House-EL said.
For House-EL, when he entered the room and saw the large gathering of community members, it was clear that change was possible, as their presence on a Monday night demonstrated a strong commitment to fighting for fair property taxes.
Ald. Jason Ervin of the 28th Ward highlighted a past situation on the North Shore where a certificate of error was issued due to a significant mistake and emphasized that the assessor has the authority to issue similar certificates in West Garfield Park, North Lawndale and Englewood to correct errors in those communities.
“We need the same treatment they received up north, right here on the West Side of Chicago. I don’t say this lightly, especially since we’ve just been told to deal with this,” Ervin said.
Ervin emphasized that the mistakes made by the assessor’s office were unfairly targeting their community and insisted that they are prepared to take whatever action, including going to court, is necessary to secure a certificate of error.
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi, who was elected to address disparities in property taxes and ensure large property owners pay their fair share, spoke at the meeting about the unfair increases in residential tax bills despite reductions for wealthy corporations and downtown properties.
“One out of every three homeowners doesn’t have a homeowner exemption yet. That’s $600 right off your bill. If you haven’t claimed your homeowner exemption in the last few years, you can look back up to four years, and our office can get that refunded to you. That could be thousands of dollars,” Kaegi said.
Kelwin Johnson, chief of Civic Engagement for the assessor’s office, spoke about the resources available to homeowners to help lower their property tax bills. He emphasized that his team can assist with exemptions such as the homeowner’s exemption, senior freeze and disability-related exemptions, even going back several years for potential refunds.
“We understand that a lot has changed in terms of values and other aspects of the community. People want answers, but we’re here to provide resources,” Johnson said.
Ald. Monique Scott of the 24th Ward expressed frustration over rising property taxes and the state of her community during a recent meeting. She noted the challenges in her ward, including thousands of vacant lots and dilapidated buildings and criticized the steep tax increases as unfair and harmful to residents. Scott also emphasized the need to collaborate with local senators, saying the city’s approach “doesn’t measure up” to the needs of her constituents.
“No taxes should exceed 99% or even 130%. There should be a cap on other taxes, too. Different municipalities can’t just keep taxing us until we can’t afford to live in our homes. Many of you here could possibly lose your homes in the next year or two, and I can’t stand for that,” Scott said.
Scott criticized the city for raising taxes in lower-income areas, saying it’s unfair to increase bills up to 99% in neighborhoods where the median income is just $30,000. She emphasized the need to make their voices heard and continue advocating for legislative changes to protect residents.