Cook County Homeowners, Small Businesses Allege Costly Assessment Errors as Tax Bills Arrive (Cook County, IL) – As property tax bills arrive in mailboxes across Cook County, a group of homeowners and small business owners gathered in Chicago to air grievances about what they describe as costly errors under Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s administration.
Standing alongside Cook County assessor candidate Pat Hynes, the residents said mistakes in property assessments have led to thousands of dollars in overpayments, delayed refunds and, in some cases, the loss of businesses and savings. They called the Assessor’s Office “broken” and in need of reform.
At issue are errors in assessed values and exemptions that determine property tax bills. When mistakes occur, property owners can seek refunds through a process known as a Certificate of Error (COE), which allows corrections up to three years after a tax bill has been finalized. Several of the residents who spoke said they filed for COEs but have yet to receive refunds or have struggled to resolve their cases.
Omero Morales, a homeowner in Bridgeview, said his property was assessed at 2,141 square feet when it is actually 1,273 square feet. He estimates the discrepancy cost his family nearly $5,000 in overpaid taxes.
“I followed the rules,” Morales said. “I applied for the correction, and I’m still waiting to be made whole.”
Kathy DeSimone said a misclassification of her family’s longtime business, Memory Lanes Horse Farm in Willow Springs, doubled the property’s tax bill and ultimately forced her to sell.
“It is beyond painful to lose everything,” DeSimone said, adding that she believes the assessment error played a decisive role in the farm’s closure.
Janet Edmonds of Western Springs said her home was destroyed in a catastrophic fire, but she continued to receive tax bills for the structure as if it were still standing. Despite providing documentation of the demolition, she said she was billed for “tens of thousands of dollars” over multiple years.
“Instead of focusing fully on rebuilding my life, I spent years navigating paperwork and filing appeals,” Edmonds said.
Osman Keskin, also of Western Springs, said his home was listed at 3,339 square feet instead of its actual 1,904 square feet. He said the discrepancy resulted in $5,112 in overbilling.
“That is real money to a working family,” Keskin said. “It’s not spare change.”
Hynes, who is challenging Kaegi for Cook County assessor, said inaccurate assessments and properties left off the tax rolls shift the tax burden onto other homeowners and small businesses.
“When assessments are inaccurate and property is left off the rolls, the burden doesn’t disappear — it gets shifted onto regular taxpayers,” Hynes said. “Families deserve fairness and predictability.”
Hynes currently serves as Lyons Township assessor and previously worked for two decades in the Cook County Assessor’s Office. He has more than 30 years of experience in the property tax field and is a certified Illinois assessment officer and member of the International Association of Assessing Officers.
Kaegi’s office has previously said its assessment model is designed to create a fairer and more accurate system and has pointed to expanded data analysis and outreach efforts as improvements over past practices. The office has also emphasized that the appeals and correction processes, including Certificates of Error, are available to address mistakes.
As tax bills continue to land in mailboxes, the debate over the accuracy and fairness of Cook County’s property tax system is likely to remain central in the upcoming assessor’s race.
Cook County Homeowners, Small Businesses Allege Costly Assessment Errors as Tax Bills Arrive
