Oak Park property owners concerned about their property taxes have a chance to do something about next year’s tax bills, but they will have to act during the holiday season. Oak Park taxpayers will be able to file 2021 assessment appeals with the Cook County Board of Review until Jan. 4, 2022.
During the appeal period, the Township Assessor’s Office will be available to assist local residents in preparing evidence to substantiate their appeals. Residents seeking help should call the Township Assessor’s office during business hours at 708-383-8005 to set up appointments. Most appointments will be conducted over the phone, but there will be a limited number of in-person appointments available for those who request them.
Oak Park properties were last reassessed in 2020, and under Cook County’s three-year reassessment cycle, the next reassessment for Oak Park properties will take place in 2023. Even in non-reassessment years such as 2021, however, taxpayers can file appeals, as property values can change from year to year. However, the money-saving effects of successful 2021 appeals will not appear on tax bills until second installment tax bills are issued in the fall of 2022.
The opening of the Board of Review’s appeal period marks the second opportunity Oak Park residents will have to appeal their 2021 assessments. Oak Park’s first appeal period was with the Cook County Assessor’s office, and ended in June.
In a typical year, the Board of Review opens for Oak Park appeals in the summer. But the board cannot begin accepting appeals from Oak Park until the Cook County Assessor certifies results from the first round of Oak Park appeals and this year, the assessor’s certification did not happen until just before Thanksgiving. The late certification arose because the county assessor is replacing its aging mainframe computer with a new system. The changeover in computer systems led to unexpected delays and, as a result, Oak Park’s Board of Review appeal period is starting several months later than normal.
Ali ElSaffar
Oak Park Township assessor