SOUTH SUBURBAN MAYOR INVITES LAWYER TO SPEAK WITH RESIDENTS ABOUT PROPERTY TAX APPEALS

Attorney Mario Reed (left) recently spoke to south suburban residents at the Village of Dolton’s monthly Coffee With the Mayor event. Photo Credit: Village of Dolton
Attorney Mario Reed (left) recently spoke to south suburban residents at the Village of Dolton’s monthly Coffee With the Mayor event. Photo Credit: Village of Dolton

South Suburban Mayor Invites Lawyer to Speak With Residents About Property Tax Appeals

BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

Every month, the Mayor of the Village of Dolton, Riley Rogers, hosts Coffee with the Mayor where residents can come and meet with him in a more informal setting. This month, Mayor Rogers invited Mario Reed, a local attorney, to come and talk to residents about appealing their property taxes.

Reed spoke to Coffee with the Mayor attendees about the different types of property tax exemptions that they may qualify for, how to apply for exemptions, and how to protect their properties from fraud.

Illinois has one of the highest property tax in the country, according to Forbes, and tax rates tend to be higher in the southern part of Cook County as compared to the rest of the county. This was why Reed was so adamant about the importance of Dolton residents understanding and filing for their tax exemptions.

“Ford Heights has the highest property tax rate in the south suburbs because there is nothing there and if there is nothing there, the only way the city can get money is from the homeowners,” Reed explained to the crowd. “That’s why all of the economic efforts that the Village of Dolton and Mayor Rogers is doing are so imperative. I cannot stress to you how important it is to have businesses in your community.”

Participants in the day’s discussion were shocked to learn that communities with fewer amenities were paying higher taxes.

“Every time a new business moves into your community your property tax rate can go down because they pay a larger share of your property taxes,” said Reed.

While he was able to answer many of the questions that were asked during the event, Reed encouraged residents to familiarize themselves with the Cook County Assessor’s website where they can learn about all eight tax exemptions that are offered.

“The senior exemption in the south suburbs of Chicago averages anywhere from $1,500 to $2,000 each year because [south suburban] tax rates are the highest,” said Reed. “There is a deadline for the certificate of error, you can only go back three years. If you missed an exemption in 2012 that’s gone, but if it’s within in the last three years, go back and get it.”

One of the last things that reed talked about was securing your property and shared with the audience that is fairly easy to steal someone’s property in Cook County.

“All they have to do is print out a deed on their computer at home that says you gave your home to them out of the goodness of your heart. They can get it notarized, take it to the courthouse and pay $54 to record it, and then they have just stolen your home on paper,” said Reed.

Throughout the entire discussion, Reed repeatedly stressed the importance of checking your property records which can be done online at www.cookcountyassessor.com and you can sign up for a free property fraud alert at www.cookrecorder.com/fraudalert.

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