• Mark D. Armstrong, CIAO, Kane County’s supervisor of assessments since 2006, has nearly 30 years’ experience in property valuation. Click here for more about Mark. To Ask Mark a question, email it to KaneSOA@co.kane.il.us or mail it to: Mark at 719 South Batavia Avenue, Geneva, IL 60134.

Thanks to a change in state law and some very competent township assessors in Kane County, 2014 publication of assessments is moving way ahead of past years. You might have noticed stories here or on Kane County Supervisor of Assessments Mark Armstrong’s newsletter.

Years ago, some assessment publication didn’t even get started until August. This year, assessment changes from the various Kane County townships all could be out there and ready for property owners’ review as soon as Aug. 15. (Some already have been published, so mark sure you’re watching for your township’s assessment publication.)

Tax assessment changes are published in local newspapers and online.

You can receive an e‐mail notice of the publication of a township assessment roll by visiting KaneCountyAssessments.org, selecting the  “subscribe”  link, and entering your email address.

To obtain assessment information about a property in any Kane County township, call the Township Assessor’s Office or visit the Township Assessor’s website (directory here).

Once your township’s assessments have been published, you have 30 days to protest if you feel your property’s assessed value was too high. Hampshire Township was the first to publish, and its 30-day deadline is coming up fast: July 23.

This week’s “Ask Mark” question has to do with filing one of those complaints with the Board of Review.

Q: I’m filing an assessment complaint with the Board of Review, and I’ve been contacted by a”Property Tax Consultant” who wants to represent me for a fee. Can someone who is not an attorney represent me before the Board of Review?

A: No; only attorneys licensed to practice law in Illinois may lawfully represent someone before the Board of Review. The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that the act of representing someone before a Board of Review constitutes the practice of law. Furthermore, persons who practice law without a license are subject to damages and penalties. Therefore, only attorneys may represent others before the Board of Review.

Read More

• To obtain information on the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board, visit this website.
• To download Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board forms, visit this address.