Questions on property values? Assessor's office can clarify

Cook County property owners should have received their annual valuation notice and property tax statements in the mail in recent days.
 
On the yellow valuation notice is information about the taxes you could be paying in 2020. Along with that information is the notice of upcoming local board of appeals and equalization (LBAE) meetings for townships (Schroeder, Tofte and Lutsen) and Open Book Consultation dates for the City of Grand Marais and all other unorganized areas of the County.
 
According to county spokesperson Valerie Marasco, 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.

Click below to hear from Cook County Assessor Todd Smith about this process.
 
Marasco says 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.
 
The board reviews the valuation, classification, or both if necessary, and corrects the information if necessary. Generally, an appearance before your local board of appeals and equalization is required by law before an appeal can be taken to the county board of appeal and Equalization which takes place in June.
 
Last year, the Assessor’s Office was able to resolve 63 appeals prior to the final county board of appeals and equalization hearing and no property owners registered to appear in June, according to Cook County Assessor Todd Smith.
 
He added, “The Assessor’s Office is happy to answer any questions through our office and also encourages people to attend their local meetings if they feel something is off with their property valuation or classification.”
 

 
Board of Appeals and Equalization Schedule:

For any questions on property assessment in Cook County, contact the Assessor’s Office at 218-387-3650 or click here for the Assessor's Office website.