SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND)- The state representative who requested a review of property assessments in every Illinois county said Tuesday she expects a written response this week.
In August, Rep. Jeanne Ives, sent a letter to the Illinois Department of Revenue asking for the review. The request came after Coles County began reassessing commercial property for the first time in 16 years and after a school superintendent from Perry County told lawmakers his county had not reassessed property since the early 1980s, even though state law requires those reassessments every four years.
Ives said she has had several phone calls with the revenue department’s director.
“In my phone call with the director, she verbally confirmed to me that she knows there are township assessors that are not qualified,” Ives said. “Let’s say a township assessor wasn’t qualified for the position, put out assessments, and those are challenged. The director had no idea what would happen with those challenges, and she said it appears that state statute is silent.”
Meanwhile, Ives has introduced a bill that would require school districts to report if their county fails to reassess property as required.
“State taxpayers who pick up the school burden, and it’s based on assessments, deserve an accurate assessment,” Ives said. “I did file legislation that said if the reassessment process has not been completed to state standards, school districts affected by that jurisdiction would not receive their share of general state aid.”
A Federal lawsuit filed over Coles County’s reassessments is still pending, one party to the suit told WAND Tuesday.
