Property values, taxes questioned during Truth in Taxation meeting

Cook County held its annual Truth In Taxation meeting last night in the commissioners’ room at the courthouse building in Grand Marais.

Approximately 35 people attended the meeting, which in recent years has been a standing room only event where dozens of people shared their concerns or thoughts about local property taxes. Last night, about a half dozen people spoke during the public comment period.

The sentiments shared during this year’s Truth in Taxation meeting were not focused specifically on the preliminary levy of 6.02 percent. Rather, some of those who spoke said years of consecutive increases in the local levy, including double-digit jumps in recent years, have made it hard to be able to afford to live in Cook County. The preliminary levy cannot exceed 6.02 percent, but it can still be lowered. The commissioners will set the final levy later this month, likely at their next regular meeting Dec. 17.

During a short discussion period amongst the county board following the public comment section of the Truth in Taxation meeting, it appeared all the commissioners were aligned with setting the levy at approximately 6 percent for 2020. The last moving piece in order to set the levy is tied up in federal funding. The county is still waiting to hear how much money it will receive via the federal Thye-Blatnik bill, which provides payments in-lieu-of-taxes (PILT) to Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties for land in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

A valuation process is completed every 10 years to determine how much each county receives through this piece of legislation. The most recent appraisal of the BWCA was done in 2009, when Cook County’s annual payments increased from just over $704,000 to $2.25 million.

This year St. Louis, Lake and Cook counties are still awaiting word on the valuation of federal lands inside the BWCA, though it has been long speculated that each county stands to receive far less this year from the federal government.

Commissioner Bursheim said the latest update as of Monday morning is that all three counties are still waiting to hear how much they will receive.

With nothing to actually report specific to the payments, Bursheim said this week on Tuesday the determination for BWCA funds provided to the county should be finalized within two weeks.

Meanwhile, at the conclusion of the Truth in Taxation meeting last night, a number of local residents and property owners approached Cook County Assessor Bob Thompson. There are ongoing questions and concerns among property owners about the valuation process and increases in property value in Cook County. In spring 2020, Cook County property owners will receive their annual valuation notice and property tax statements in the mail. What was discussed during the Truth in Taxation meeting are only proposed tax statements and assessments. As WTIP has reported in recent years, appeals can be made about assessed value of homes and property in Cook County that have nothing to do with a Truth in Taxation meeting. These appeals take place annually during local board of appeals and equalization meetings for townships, Grand Marais and all other unorganized areas of the county.

According to county officials, these meetings are held to determine whether taxable property in the jurisdiction has been properly valued and classified by the assessor, and to determine whether corrections need to be made.

Heading into 2020, if you believe the value or classification of your property is incorrect, please contact the county assessor’s office to discuss your concerns.

If you are still not satisfied with the valuation or classification after discussing it with your assessor, you may appear before the local board of appeals and equalization at the scheduled hearings.

In 2018, the assessor’s office was able to resolve 63 appeals prior to the final county board of appeals and equalization hearing, according to Todd Smith from the Cook County Assessor’s office.

To contact the Cook County Assessor’s Office, click here.