Eye-opening data about Cook County property tax appeals, including a description of the appeal process and information about the likelihood of obtaining assessment reductions, is revealed in a recent report issued by The Civic Federation. The Civic Federation is a non-partisan government research organization that evaluates the quality and cost-effectiveness of governmental services in Illinois.
An executive summary of key points presented in the report is set forth below. To review the entire report, click here.
General
- The Civic Federation Report analyzed all assessment appeals filed with the Cook County Assessor and the Cook County Board of Review from 2000 through 2008.
- There are over 1.8 million tax parcels in Cook County. Almost or nearly 50% of these parcels are located in the City of Chicago.
- In general, the number of non-residential appeals filed remained fairly constant during the eight-year period; however, the number of residential appeals exploded.
Assessor's Office
- The number of appeals filed with the Assessor's office increased substantially from 2000 to 20008. The percentage increase in complaints filed varied by assessment triad, but generally rose by 50% to 60% during the period. Nearly all the increase in filings was in the residential area.
- Success rates for appeals filed with the Assessor's office fell steadily from 2000 to 2008. In 2000, 47% of taxpayers won appeals filed with the Assessor. By 2008, that ratio fell to 29%.
- Aggregate assessment reductions awarded by the Assessor's office to residential property owners nearly doubled from 2000 to 2008 (from $158.4 million to $344.6 million) paralleling the growth in residential filings at the Assessor's office.
- Aggregate assessment reductions awarded by the Assessor's office to non-residential property owners declined by $1.5 billion from 2000 to 2008.
- Attorneys filed approximately 90% of non-residential complaints and 50% to 70% of residential complaints (percentage varied by triad).
Board of Review
- The total number of complaints filed with the Board of Review increased by 57% from 2000 to 2008. Most of this growth came in the residential area.
- The total number of parcels with successful appeals rose by 78.5% from 2000 to 2008. Most of this increase came in the residential area.
- Success rates at the Board of Review declined slightly between 2000 and 2008.
- Aggregate success ratios were higher at the Board of Review than at the Asessor for all property types during the period. Success rates for residential properties varied from approximately 50% to 80% while success rates for commercial properties varied from about 45% to 55%.
- Attorneys filed approximately 78% to 88% of complaints.
- Success rates for complaints filed by attorneys hovered around 60% through 2006 before rising to 82% in 2008.
- The value of assessment reductions granted by the Board increased substantially from 2000 to 2008.
