The Cook County Assessor’s office says the median property tax bill for Evanston homeowners fell slightly this year.
The reported drop was 0.3 percent. Evanston was one of just 9 of 44 north suburban communities that showed a decline.
Some nearby communities, including Skokie at 10.9 percent and Lincolnwood at 15.8 percent had among the highest increases in the county.
A assessor’s office spokesman this morning wasn’t immediately able to provide more detailed information to determine whether the recent increase in the number of condos in Evanston — which tend to have lower values than single family homes — may have skewed the median figure lower.
Oh Really?
Anecdotally, everyone I’ve spoken with seems to have seen an increase in their bill, not a decrease. Ours was up a bit over 8%, but a half dozen others in both our Nichols Neighborhood, north Evanston, and west Evanston all saw increases. Granted, the tax rate dropped (as a percentage of assessed value), but the assessments on single family homes was up so much that the effective rates were higher than prior years.
my taxes are down too
I am paying less in Evanston taxes, too.
My taxes are lower this year too
I posted a comment in response to Bill’s question on Saturday, but my property tax bill has actually gone down from last year.
Since 2003, my total payable tax bill has been largely unchanged despite the assessed value of my home rising dramatically.
BIG jump in taxes!
I was reading the comments about taxes dropping and was curious to know if those folks with lowered taxes were long time Evanston residents. Wasn’t there some sort of discount given to those who have lived here more than 10 years? I thought I remembered hearing this.
We have lived here for just over a year and our taxes, which were previously in line with similar properties on the block, have gone up by 1/3. No one else in the neighborhood I have spoken with seems to have experienced such a jump.
Any suggestions on contesting them would be most welcome!
taxes
Wasn’t there some sort of discount given to those who have lived here more than 10 years? I thought I remembered hearing this.
Well…I hope that there isn’t. I don’t see why anyone deserves a discount for staying in a place for 10 years. Do they use fewer services? And really, all this means is that the tax burden is being shifted on to newer residents, the second most popular scapegoat (after NU) for angry taxpayers.
Maybe we should encourage people to get up and move every 5 years, to generate more transfer tax revenue.
I wonder if the split between people with ‘huge increases’ and decreases is related to the triennial reassessment schedule. My taxes decreased this year, but I live in a newer building, and it was assessed by Cook County a few years ago at the height of the market, when construction was completed. Are those of you with large increases just now feeling the impact of the latest reassessment?
Who us old time Nimbys love you new residents
Who – guess what you are correct for once the tax burden does shift on those with new consruction and who purchased recently. Those who live here for years are likely to have lower assessments on the same value property. Also new homeowners who purchase a older home are likely to have a higher assessed value than a homes which has not sold for years.
WHO don’t be too, upset the businesses are taxed at a much higher rate than homeowners – on their property which is one reason there are fewer and fewer companies in Cook County.
You need to get over it, we love you new residents. One Alderperson said he was so happy you were moving here – he could tax you to pay for social services to the poor.
Go to The Cook County
Go to The Cook County Assessor’s website where you can get info on how and when to file an appeal. Also, you have the opportunity to back your appeal by showing comparable properties in your neighborhood and attaching photos when possible. So there is a bit of homework to do and nothing is certain, but it can’t hurt to give it try… sometimes appealing has a positive outcome.
My taxes are definitely UP
I saw a nearly 28% increase in my taxes. My assessed value is way out of whack with my neighbors. Not sure how they arrived at it. I’m appealing.