“Yearly renewal for senior property-tax break will confuse many, assessor says” plus 1 more

Yearly renewal for senior property-tax break will confuse many, assessor says

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 11:02 AM PST

Yearly renewal for senior property-tax break will confuse many, assessor says

By LISA DONOVANStaff Reporter / ldonovan@suntimes.com Feb 7, 2011 01:02PM

About the tax break

† To qualify for the "Senior Citizen Exemption," you have to have been born before 1945, own your home or have a lease or contract making you responsible for the real estate taxes, the home must be your principal place of residence. † Cook County residents needing help with the application can call the county assessor's office at (312) 603-2961. Chicago residents also can reach the city's tax assistance center by calling 311. Those who just turned 65 and would like to start taking advantage of the senior exemption can download the form online from www.cookcountyassessor.com.

Starting this year, Cook County seniors again have to renew their property-tax exemption every year, and that's likely to cause confusion, Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios said Monday.

Berrios he's sending out exemption applications this week to 300,000 seniors and is trying to get the word out to homeowners 65 and older that those must be filled out and returned by March 3. Berrios said he's worried the mailers might be overlooked or tossed out, mistaken for junk mail.

"They're going to receive these things in the mail, and they're going to throw them in the garbage," Berrios said. "And then they're going to get a tax bill in November and say: 'What happened?' "

Berrios said he plans to press Springfield lawmakers to eliminate the annual application requirement, calling it "just an additional cost government doesn't need," which he pegged at $250,000.

The annual filing is a provision of a new property-tax relief law that kicked in this year. It affects more than 284,000 homeowners 65 and older and applies exclusively to Cook County. The amount of savings the tax provides varies. For a senior homeowner in Chicago, the exemption is worth a median savings of about $200 year, Berrios said.

Before 2008, seniors had to reapply every year. Also, the "senior freeze" exemption, which gives senior homeowners a break if their income is below $55,000, requires an annual application.

The new law was passed last year after Kelly Burke, a Democratic House candidate from the southwest suburbs, drew flak for getting a senior exemption for years even though she wasn't eligible for it. Burke said she didn't realize she was getting the senior exemption after buying the house from a senior. She made restitution and won the election.

Contributing: Dave McKinney; Francine Knowles

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Columbus boasts 2nd lowest tax rate

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 06:37 AM PST

COLUMBUS - Property tax rates in Columbus remained second lowest among the state's First Class cities last year.

It was the second consecutive year Columbus had the second-lowest consolidated property tax levy of 30 cities included in the annual report issued by the City of Norfolk.

The local rate of $1.882 per $100 valuation, or $1,882 per $100,000 valuation, was bested only by York, which continued to hold the lowest rate at $1.771 per $100 valuation.

"It's something we pay attention to," Mayor Mike Moser said of the tax rate. "I'm glad to see that paying attention to that has made us rank well against other cities."

Columbus' consolidated rate did, however, increase from $1.871 to $1.882 per $100 valuation from 2009 to 2010 because of slight jumps in the Central Community College, Platte County and natural resource district levies.

The municipality tax levy, which comprises 17.3 percent of the total property tax rate, dropped from 32.86 to 32.58 cents per $100 valuation over that same time period.

"We're just part of the mix," said Columbus Finance Director Anne Kinnison, "but it's nice to know that we have the second-lowest rate."

Moser said the city's goal has been to limit its property tax asking to growth plus the cost of living.

Columbus Public Schools' property tax levy, 61.3 percent of the total figure, also decreased from $1.161 to $1.153 per $100 valuation between fiscal years 2009-10 and 2010-11, respectively. That decline, according to CPS Director of Business Services Jeff Page, can be attributed largely to increased valuations.

Still, he believes the district is cognizant of financial impacts during decision-making, using due diligence when spending public money.

"What we try to do is simply deliver the best quality education we can at the lowest price," Page said, "and I think over the years we've done that."

Other taxing entities included in a city's consolidated property tax rate include agricultural and historical societies, educational service units, sanitary, fire and railroad transportation safety districts, airport authorities and community revitalization.

Plattsmouth again held the undesirable honor of being home to the highest property tax rate among First Class cities at $2.36 per $100 valuation, a 1 cent decrease from 2009.

Last year marked the third time Columbus had the second-lowest rate, a position it also held in 2006. In 2007, local property taxpayers paid the lowest rate among Nebraska First Class cities.

2010 consolidated property tax rates among Nebraska's First Class cities

City/Rate

Alliance/2.01908

Beatrice/2.069272

Bellevue/2.050882

Blair/2.106557

Chadron/2.137484

Columbus/1.882476

Crete/2.193337

Fremont/2.000178

Gering/1.99917

Grand Island/2.123326

Hastings/2.32242643

Holdrege/1.99166

Kearney/2.101565

LaVista/2.220343

Lexington/2.199592

McCook/2.015385

Nebraska City/2.290692

Norfolk/2.176271

North Platte/2.246671

Ogallala/2.030279

Papillion/2.101948

Plattsmouth/2.360158

Ralston/2.24944

Schuyler/2.004628

Scottsbluff/2.20749

Seward/2.055273

Sidney/2.330235

S. Sioux City/2.266732

Wayne/2.1544367

York/1.771993

Property Tax

Monday, February 7, 2011