Property Tax Billing Cycle in Flux

Lake County officials decided last Thursday that property tax billing would go ahead as normal this year despite the ongoing difficulties related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many elected officials, the Lake County Board is attempting to balance the economic impact the ongoing pandemic has had on taxpayers with the budgetary needs of taxing bodies. Complicating matters even further in this instance is the question of whether any county board in Illinois has the legal authority to waive penalty fees on those taxpayers who pay their property taxes late.

While Lake County has decided to go forward with normal tax billing, other counties like Sangamon decided to delay the property tax billing cycle. Additionally, other counties like Kane, Kendall, McHenry, and DuPage County have devoted considerable energy to discussing various plans to delay their own property tax billing cycles, either delaying the actual tax bills and due dates or waiving late fees for delinquent payments.

The billing practices of local taxing bodies are in a unique state of uncertainty this year as elected officials across America consider how to bill their constituents during a time of unprecedented economic distress. Here at Crane and Norcross, we continue to monitor the effects of COVID-19 on the property tax billing process. If you have any questions about this, please contact us at info@craneandnorcross.com or 312-726-9161.