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Homeowners shocked by tax hikes should read bills to find out where their money goes
By Maria Pappas
Record-high increases in property tax bills have shocked and angered many Cook County property owners, especially in the south suburbs.
Second Installment 2023 bills are online at cookcountytreasurer.com and arriving in mailboxes in early July. Bills are due Aug. 1.
My office recently released an analysis of the nearly 1.8 million tax bills. The analysis showed that in the south suburbs, the median tax bill jumped 19.9%. In 15 south suburbs, tax bills soared above 30% to as high as 76%.
A typical example showed property taxes on Park Forest home increasing $3,834 this year to $8,892. The tax bill for the property a year ago was $5,058.
These astonishing increases are too much to bear for homeowners who are already dealing with higher prices at the grocery store, gas pump and everywhere. Many believe they can no longer afford to live where taxes are so high. They wonder what they can do about it.
There is one thing that every property owner can do about high taxes: Read their tax bills.
In Cook County, I have redesigned the tax bills. The bills have a new feature, “Where Your Money Goes,” that more clearly shows which taxing bodies are getting your dollars. Bills show the amount of taxes owed for 2023 and how much the bill changed compared to 2022. A typical bill displays about a dozen different taxing districts and shows how much you pay to each taxing body.
I did this so you can call the people who raised your taxes to tell them how you feel. This makes it easier than ever to compare tax bills from one year to the next. Your tax bill tells you which units of government are getting your money and how much each receives.
That’s why it’s more important than ever to read your tax bill. For years, I have listened to people complain about their tax bills. Everywhere I go throughout Cook County people always ask me the same question.
“Why did my tax bill go up?”
My office sends out bills and collects taxes. I have nothing to do with determining the amount of money you owe. That’s decided by other government agencies, primarily by the taxing bodies listed under “Where Your Money Goes.”
When you receive your tax bill, think about how every taxing district listed holds regular public meetings. As a taxpayer, you have the right to provide public comment, especially about the taxing district’s budget and how your tax dollars are being spent.
I hope that by reading your tax bill you take a greater interest in local government. If you’re angry about high property taxes, you should vote in local elections. If more people questioned their elected officials about property tax dollars, government agencies might work harder to curb spending.
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Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
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