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Supervisor Michael Kainz
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Happy Valentine's Day from our family to yours! A special thank you to our "sweetheart" volunteers at the Food Pantry. Your donation of time to serving our community is greatly appreciated!

DYK? Food Pantry volunteers clocked over 645 hours in 2019 preparing for the weekly food pantry recipients and delivering food to home bound recipients.

This past December, Cuba Township joined forces with Citizens for Conservation (CFC), The Barrington Area Conservation Trust (BACT), and the Village of Tower Lakes for a successful volunteer project aimed at prairie restoration of the Tower Lakes Nature Preserve. Over 30 volunteers braved the cold to clear and burn buckthorn on a portion of the 17-acre property co-owned by Cuba Township and Tower Lakes.

Native seeds were spread at the end of the day in our ongoing effort to restore the property to its natural beauty. Thanks to all who worked hard to help us with this ongoing effort. This project is a great example of volunteers from local conservation groups and local government working together to improve our shared resource of open land.

Are you celebrating your 65th birthday this year?

Cuba Township offers access to a variety of benefits to residents turning 65, including;

R.T.A. Senior Reduced Fare Permits
RTA issued Reduced Fare Permits allow seniors and persons with qualifying disabilities to ride at a reduced rate on CTA, Metra and Pace buses and trains.

To qualify, applicants must provide:
  • A completed application
  • A copy of a government-issued picture identification card that verifies your age and residency (driver’s license, state of Illinois ID card, alien registration card or passport).
  • A wallet-sized color photo of yourself that is approximately 2″ square. Please do not wear a hat, scarf or sunglasses in the photo. The Township will take complimentary photos for residents and charge a $5 fee for non-residents.

Applicants receive permits in in approximately 4 to 6 weeks.

R.T.A. Senior Ride Free Permits
Seniors 65 and older, and people with disabilities who are enrolled in the Illinois Department on Aging’s * Benefit Access Program  can qualify to ride free on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra and Pace fixed-route services. This program is administered by the Illinois Department on Aging. The income levels for eligibility range from $35,562 or less for an individual, $44,533 for a two-person household, and $55,500 for a household of three or more people.

To qualify for the Ride Free Permit, applicants must provide:
  • Proof of enrollment in the Illinois Benefit Access Program (Cuba Township can assist with Benefit Access enrollment - call to schedule an appointment).
  • A completed application
  • A copy of a government-issued picture identification card that verifies your age and residency (driver’s license, state of Illinois ID card, alien registration card or passport).
  • A wallet-sized color photo of yourself that is approximately 2″ square. Please do not wear a hat, scarf or sunglasses in the photo. The Township will take complimentary photos for residents and charge a $5 fee for non-residents.

Pace/Dial-A-Ride Program
Subsidized by the Township for seniors 65 and older and persons with a disability. This service offers local curb-to-curb service for $2 each way. For enrollment, reservations and information please call 800-273-5939. Reservations can be made 24 hours in advance and 7 days in advance for medical appointments.

Half-Fare Taxi Program
Service available for Cuba Township residents 65 and older. The Township will subsidize half of your taxi fare up to $7.00.
To qualify, applicants must:
  • Sign up for this program at the Township office.
  • Provide a copy of a government-issued picture identification card that verifies your age and residency (driver’s license, state of Illinois ID card, alien registration card or passport).

Be sure to read below about the Senior Homestead Exemption and Senior Assessment Freeze offered to qualifying seniors.

On behalf of Cuba Township, we are humbled by your generosity and grateful to partner with you to serve the residents of our community.

Sincerely,
Mike Kainz
Clerk Nicole E Knapik
Are you registered to vote in the March Primary?

The Township office is open for voter registration Monday through Friday, 9 AM - 4 PM. The last day for voter registration at Cuba Township is February 18, 2020. Check out voter eligibility requirements and a list of acceptable IDs.


The Cuba Township monthly meeting is Thursday, February 13, 2020. For a list of 2020 meeting dates visit our website.

Please visit the White Memorial Cemetery page for Rules and Regulations on seasonal adornments. Adornments are allowed and required to be picked up twice a year - April 1 and October 1.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you!

Sincerely,
Nicole E Knapik
Assessor Rebecca M Tonigan, CIAO
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If you or your representative filed an appeal of your 2019 property assessment, you are able to track the progress by visiting Board of Review Hearing Schedule.

Lake County Board of Review hearings for Cuba Township are coming to a close. The Board of Review is sending notification to residents or their representatives, 2 weeks before the hearing date.

Lake County Board of Review hearings continue through the end of February.

Senior Homestead Exemption (SHE)
Benefit:
This exemption lowers the equalized assessed value of your property by $5,000 and may be claimed in addition to the General Homestead Exemption. Applicant can receive exemption on only one property.
To Qualify:
To qualify, applicants must:
  • Have reached age 65 during the tax year
  • Have lived on the property on or before January 1 of the tax year
To Apply:
Applications are initiated at the local township office. Applicant is required to provide proof of age (Driver’s License, State-issued ID) and proof of ownership (copy of the deed). Applicant need only file once for this exemption.

Senior Citizen’s Assessment Freeze (SCAFE)
Benefit:
The Senior Freeze provides seniors with limited income protection against real estate tax increases due to rising property values. It is not a tax freeze or a tax reduction and does not protect against increased taxes due to tax rate increases. This exemption provides for a base-year frozen assessment, and it will potentially provide increased savings each year a senior is eligible. The base assessment used in the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption initially equals the assessed value from the prior year tax calculation. In subsequent years, if the new assessed value is lower than the original base value, the lower value becomes the new base amount.

To qualify, applicants must:

  • Own the property as their principal residence for two consecutive years (January 1)
  • Be age 65 or older
  • Have a total household income of $65,000 or less. Household income includes the income of all persons using the property as their principal dwelling place on January 1 of the tax year.

Please note this exemption must be renewed annually. Each year in the Spring, the Chief County Assessment Office mails applications to all taxpayers receiving the Senior Homestead Exemption. Applying is easy and available at the Cuba Township Assessor’s Office. 2020 Senior Freeze forms are expected to arrive late March or early April.

Properties Held in Trust
If your property is held in a trust, we must verify you are a beneficiary of the trust. The exemptions cannot be applied without this verification. Please include a copy of the pages of the actual trust agreement that state the applicant is a beneficiary. This can usually be found on the first few pages of the trust document. If you have questions, call us directly at 847-381-1120.

Check out our Tax Relief link for other available exemptions. Exemptions may be filed within our office. Just bring a valid Illinois Driver's License or State ID. When you are applying for a new exemption and the property is held in trust, we must verify the applicant is a beneficiary of that trust. The exemptions cannot be applied without this verification. Please include a copy of that part of the actual trust agreement stating that the applicant is a beneficiary. This is usually found on the first few pages of the trust.

We are here to serve you!

Sincerely,
Rebecca M. Tonigan, CIAO
Highway Commissioner Thomas J Podgorski
Mark your calendar! Remaining firewood Friday dates (subject to cancellation due to weather)

February 14th and 28 th
March 13 th and 27 th

Help our snow plows help you! Safety tips . . .

  1. Stay back at least 100 feet and give our drivers and the large trucks room to turn around
  2. Do not park cars on the street during snow events

FYI: Cul de sacs pose a unique challenge for plowing due to limited space to place snow and the size of our trucks. We use best practice when accessing where snow should be placed.

Let’s address mailboxes!
It is at the discretion of the road district to either repair or replace mailboxes. This is not an obligation.
We offer three options
  1. Repair existing mailbox
  2. Replace damaged mailbox with a standard wood post and box
  3. Homeowner may purchase what they’d like and we will be happy to install.



For the latest update on road conditions and closings, please follow us on Facebook!
Dancing with the Barrington Stars
Saturday, February 8; 6-10 p.m.

Stonegate Conference & Banquet Centre
2401 W. Higgins Road in Hoffman Estates

Tickets: $125; table of 10, $1,200 - to support BACOA's programs and services for older adults, caregivers and families.

Cuba Township| Website