Riverside Township assessor reports spikes in exemptions work, certificates of error and tracked home sales

Riverside Township Assessor Fran Sitkiewicz presented the assessor's annual report, describing heavy staff time devoted to exemptions, certificates of error and appeals during Cook County's triennial assessment process.

Sitkiewicz told the meeting her office processed 1,031 permits totaling $22,576,668 in value and helped 234 taxpayers apply for exemptions including homeowner, senior, low-income senior, disabled homeowner and disabled veteran exemptions. "Last year, we helped 95 taxpayers file for certificates of error amounting to $373,882," she said, noting that taxpayers in Cook County may seek refunds going back three years.

She reported assisting 439 taxpayers file appeals with the Cook County Assessor's Office and 405 taxpayers with the Cook County Board of Review for a combined 844 appeals across the two appeal periods; her office assisted about 280 taxpayers in person.

On sales, Sitkiewicz said the assessor's office tracked 192 home sales totaling $97,545,936 (about $508,000 per transaction on average). She noted the office did not receive property transfer information about business sales this year and that the Cook County Assessor's Office was undergoing transitions that affected data flow.

The assessor's report was moved, seconded and accepted by voice vote with no nays recorded on the transcript.

Ending: Sitkiewicz thanked staff Mary Jo Miller and Barb Legan and encouraged taxpayers to use assessor services for exemptions and appeals.