The Illinois Department of Revenue announced last week that the final equalization factor for the Cook County 2017 property assessment year (taxes payable in 2018) is 2.9627. The 2017 final equalization factor of 2.9627 is greater than the final 2016 equalization factor of 2.8032. This does not mean that individual property tax bills will go up or down. It means that, overall, the weighted average level of assessment in Cook County for all types of property averaged over the past three years…
The Civic Federation released its annual estimate of the full value of property in Cook County this week. The 2016 estimated value of all Cook County real estate was $559.7 billion. The 2016 estimates represent the fourth year in a row in which real estate values in Cook County increased after six straight years of decline. The 2016 total value estimate is an increase of $30.8 billion, or 5.8%, from the 2015 estimated full value. However, the 2016 full value of real estate is still $106.5…
Following major policy changes and calls for increased public disclosure, detailed quarterly information about Cook County bond court orders and outcomes is now available online. Chief Judge Timothy Evans’ Office began posting the new data on the Cook County Circuit Court’s website in early May. A dashboard with seven performance measures is currently available for the first quarter of 2018 and the last quarter of 2017. The initial data provide more official evidence of a trend that has been…
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner presented his annual budget address on February 14, 2018, outlining his budget proposal for the State fiscal year 2019. The 2019 fiscal year begins on July 1, 2018 and ends June 30, 2019. The Civic Federation will release a full analysis of the Governor’s proposal in the coming months. This blog will focus on two key elements of the Governor’s budget proposal that will most significantly impact local governments and the State’s higher education institutions.…
Amid increased attention to the number of detainees at Cook County Jail, more information about the size of the jail population is now available on the Sheriff’s website. In December 2017, Sheriff Tom Dart’s office started posting daily reports showing the number of detainees in each jail building and in the community. Prior days’ reports remain on the website, allowing visitors to track the jail population—at least for the past month. The daily report information was previously distributed…
Click here to read the full report. Across the political spectrum in the United States, there is a growing consensus that too many people are locked up in jail because they do not have the money required for release. This report examines recent efforts to reduce the number of detainees in Cook County Jail by reforming practices in and around bond court and includes recommendations for improving data accessibility and coordination among the various agencies that make up the…
Click here to read this issue brief. With a projected $200 million loss in revenue for fiscal year 2018 due to the recent repeal of the sweetened beverage tax, the Cook County Board of Commissioners and County Agency officials now must identify ways to balance the budget without the expected funding. The Civic Federation encourages the County Board of Commissioners to approach the FY2018 budget with a long-term perspective. The County must not use this crisis as an excuse to use gimmicks and…
Illinois Public Act 100-0401, signed into law on August 25, 2017, will increase the value of the Senior Citizens and General Homestead Exemptions in Cook County starting in Tax Year 2017 (payment year 2018). It also increases the income limitation for the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption (“Senior Freeze”) for all counties in Illinois and provides for a minimum exemption in Cook County. This blog post will examine these latest changes to homestead exemptions enacted by the…
In the wake of recently ordered bond court reforms, Cook County judges are seeking the dismissal of a lawsuit challenging the use of cash bail to keep defendants behind bars. Chief Judge Timothy Evans announced the changes on July 17, 2017. A week later, on July 24, the five Cook County Circuit Court judges named in the lawsuit filed motions to dismiss the case as moot on the grounds that the reforms would end the disputed bail practices. Lawyers for the plaintiffs have opposed the judges’…
The Illinois Department of Revenue announced in April 2017 that the final equalization factor for the Cook County 2016 property assessment year (taxes payable in 2017) is 2.8032. The 2016 final equalization factor of 2.8032 is greater than the final 2015 equalization factor of 2.6685. This does not mean that individual property tax bills will go up or down. It means that, overall, the weighted average level of assessment[1] in Cook County for all types of property averaged over the…
