When Cook County’s second installment property tax bills are sent on time, tax bills hit mailboxes in late June and are due around Aug. 1. This year, however, the mailing and due dates for tax bills will be delayed by at least one month. This means that second installment tax bills will be due no earlier than Sept. 1, and the due date could be later.
For decades, the county agencies involved in preparing property tax bills have been using a 1980s-era mainframe computer system. The county has been phasing out the old mainframe for the last few years, but 2025 marks the first year in which the old system will be phased out completely. This year’s tax bills will be calculated in their entirety under the new system.
The problems associated with the final transition to the new system are the reason for the delay in this year’s tax bills. Hopefully, however, the new system will make it easier for the county to issue tax bills on time in future years.
Ali ElSaffar
Oak Park Township Assessor