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January 7, 2021
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Pappas: Which properties have the biggest property tax increases since 2000? If you didn’t vote … Don’t complain.

Cook County Treasurer's Office - Press Release 1/5/2021

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas released a study which reveals the properties in Chicago and the suburbs with the largest property tax increases since 2000, dramatic examples of how the tax burden has soared on homeowners and businesspeople.

Called “The Top 50,” the report lists the 50 Property Index Numbers (PINs) with the largest tax increases from 2000 to 2019 in Chicago and the suburbs, both residential and commercial. The report is a new chapter in “The Pappas Study,” an unprecedented study that shows the county’s tax bills virtually doubling over 20 years, an increase that is nearly triple the 36 percent rise in the cost of living index.
“If you don’t exercise your right to vote, then you have no right to complain about how property taxes have climbed since 2000,” Pappas said, noting the low percentage of the voting-age population that participates in elections.

“The Pappas Study” is dedicated to former Chicago Tribune editorial page editor John McCormick and former editor R. Bruce Dold for their tireless efforts to make Chicagoland a better place to live.

According to the Top 50, the residential properties with the largest property tax increases from 2000 to 2019 are:
  • In Chicago, a condominium on East Lake Shore Drive, where the tax bill jumped 1,890 percent, from $6,731.71 to $133,954.83
  • In the suburbs, a two-story residence on Ardsley Road in Winnetka, where the tax bill grew 1,174 percent, from $53,014.39 to $675,486.36

The commercial properties with the largest property tax increases from 2000 to 2019 are:
  • In Chicago, an office building at 300 E. Randolph St., where the tax bill rose 141 percent, from $8,140,176.71 to $19,599,942.28
  • In the suburbs, a shopping center at 1000 E. Woodfield Road, Schaumburg, where the tax bill rose 53 percent, from $12,847,013.47 to $19,633,920.16
“There is a solution to the problem of skyrocketing taxes,” Pappas said. “Vote!”
Less than 29 percent of the voting-age population in the Chicago has cast ballots in elections held since 2011, Pappas said. In the suburbs, the percentage is just 26 percent.

“Too many people are voting with their feet instead of at the ballot box,” Pappas said. “If you don’t hold elected officials accountable, then you only have yourself to blame,” she said.

20-year tax history search added to cookcountytreasurer.com
Every property owner can see how much their property taxes have grown over 20 years by visiting cookcountytreasurer.com. Just follow these steps:
  • Select the purple box labeled “Your Property Tax Overview”
  • Enter your address or Property Index Number (PIN)
  • Select the tab on the left that says “20-Year Tax Bill History”
  • See an interactive map that shows how property taxes billed have increased in Chicago wards and suburbs since 2001

The Top 50 report also breaks down the 50 largest residential and commercial property tax increases in each of Chicago’s wards.
The report analyzed the property tax bills for PINs which did not change property tax classifications from 2000 to 2019. For residential properties, the report analyzed properties with only a Homeowner’s Exemption and excluded properties with other property tax exemptions, such as the Senior Citizen Exemption, which affect the change in tax bills.
Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) Application Available in Kinzie Corridor
Application period:
January 4th – February 8th
(Applications must be submitted by 5 PM CST)

The Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) helps industrial and commercial businesses in Chicago by providing financial reimbursement for building improvement costs. SBIF grants provide up to $150,000 in matching funds for permanent improvements to buildings within the Kinzie Corridor TIF district.
 
2021 Shared Cost Sidewalk Program
 
The Shared Cost Sidewalk Program is an extremely popular voluntary program in which property owners share 50% of the cost of sidewalk repair with the City.
 
Applications will be open Monday, January 11th at 6 AM. All applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until all funds are allocated. Applications will only be accepted through the City's 311 online portal or by dialing 311 directly. When contacting 311, please state the following:
 
·   Make sure to specify that you want to participate in the Shared Cost Sidewalk Program.
·   If you currently do not have a courtesy walk or landing step and would like one installed, this should be mentioned at the time of request. Installation is subject to engineering recommendation.
·   If you are interested in removal and replacement of the driveway apron, this should be mentioned at the time of request.
·   You must give the property owner’s complete name, a contact phone number, email address if available, and the property’s complete address. Please note that Shared Cost Sidewalk Program applications that are missing any of this requested information may not be processed. 
 
For more information on the Shared Cost Sidewalk Program, please visit the program's webpage.
For more information or with any questions regarding the SBIF rollout or the Shared Cost Sidewalk Program, please contact Hannah Jones at [email protected].
Learn About ILSFA's
Latest Solar Projects

Twenty-one Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA) projects have been approved to date during our third program year. Three community solar projects were approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission on December 16, 2020. These projects join the 18 onsite solar projects for non-profits and public facilities that were approved earlier this fall and serve organizations statewide from Effingham to Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood. Learn more about approved projects and their economic and environmental benefits with our Project Summaries document.
We’re still accepting applications for residential projects, and we encourage interested income-eligible residents to compare the offers available and reach out to an Approved Vendor to get started.

Spreading Solar
Knowledge Safely

Grassroots education is a key component of ILSFA. The ten community-based organizations currently conducting education campaigns have been adapting their usual methods to perform safe and effective outreach during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Upcoming webinar on:
Date: January 21, 2021
Held by: North River Commission (NRC) will hold in English and Spanish.