COOK COUNTY BOARD OF REVIEW COMMISSIONER ENCOURAGES PROPERTY OWNERS TO FILE APPEALS
Larry Rogers, Jr. is a Cook County Board of Review Commissioner,
representing the 3rd District, which includes Bloom,
Calumet, Hyde Park, Bremen, Lake, Lemont, Oak Park, Orland,
Palos, Proviso, Rich, South Chicago, Thornton, River Forest,
West Chicago, Worth Townships. PHOTO PROVIDED BY LARRY ROGERS,
JR.
Larry Rogers, Jr., has been a Cook County Board of Review Commissioner for 20 years. Rogers has been an attorney for 30 years. His law firm, Power Rogers, does personal litigation work. It was Rogers’ work as a lawyer advocating for people that led him to politics.
Rogers is the Commissioner for the 3rd District, which includes Bloom, Calumet, Hyde Park, Bremen, Lake, Lemont, Oak Park, Orland, Palos, Proviso, Rich, South Chicago, Thornton, River Forest, West Chicago, Worth Townships. There are about 1.7 million people in the 3rd District. During the remap, Rogers’ district gained Ford Heights and other communities further South in Cook County.
Through faith-based programs and working with elected officials, the Cook County Board of Review is able to reach residents by bringing the property tax appeal process to them. The Cook County Board of Review has gone to churches on Sundays, with staff, to accept appeals, in written format or electronically. Those appeals are taken downtown and filed on the property owners’ behalf. Rogers believes that every day residents should have the same access and opportunity to appeal their property tax assessments as businesses.
“Every year, we saw that they (large businesses) filed appeals to try to reduce their tax liability, and they had very good reason, to reduce their tax liability. I just thought that was something every day citizens should have access and opportunity to do as well,” Rogers said.
Rogers said that homeowners should be aware of the property tax appeal process, which he said is a simple one. People can file an appeal at cookcountyboardofreview.com. By filing an appeal, it gives the Board of Review jurisdiction and authority to look at a property owners’ property. The Cook County Assessor does a broad assessment of one-third of the County every three years.
Rogers encourages people to file a property tax appeal so that they are paying taxes that are based on the actual value of their property and not at a higher or prior valuation. Property owners also can submit documentation to assist with the appeal.
Rogers believes that property owners should not have to pay more than their fair share of property taxes and has been critical of Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi. He said Kaegi is the reason for property owners receiving their property tax bills late. He said the property tax bills were sent out on time for 10 consecutive years previously.
“He upended the system by getting rid of the legacy systems and getting a new computer system that wasn’t properly vetted and he didn’t get his job done on time,” Rogers said, adding that Kaegi can do a better job by getting the numbers right.
Rogers credited Dana Pointer, the Commissioner’s Director of Outreach, with doing community-based outreach programs. He also acknowledged Alderman David Moore with helping with community outreach. The goal is to help as many residents as possible and bring resources to the community.
Rogers wants to make the appeal process as accessible as possible. A digital online appeal processing system is in place. Rogers said that everyone should file every year, with the Cook County Assessor’s Office and with the Cook County Board of Review.
“Since you pay taxes every year, have your valuation evaluated every year, so you’re paying no more than your fair share,” Rogers said.
The Cook County Assessor’s Office submitted the following statement: The Cook County Assessor's Office's technological upgrades are part of a countywide effort to ensure all property tax offices, including the Board of Review, are no longer using a system that is more than thirty years old. We continue to work with all Cook County's property tax offices to ensure that property assessments and tax bills are back on schedule.
For more information about the Cook County Board of Review, visit www.cookcountyboardofreview.com. You can also call Commissioner Larry Rogers, Jr.’s office at 312-603-5540.
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