In 2022, 2,738 residents visited the Orland Township Assessor’s Office for assistance with the following: analyzing their assessed valuations and filing assessment appeals, filing for the various types of exemptions which help to reduce their property tax bills, certificates of error for missing exemptions, name and address changes, property location corrections, various property tax bill questions, assessment information, actual and estimated (anticipated) property tax bill amounts, sales data, and property ownership information. The total number of phone calls received in 2022 from residents, attorneys, realtors, appraisers, banks, or other municipalities was 4,829 for a total of 7,567 client contacts for the year.
FORMS COMPLETED
309 Senior Assessment Freeze and Certificate of Error Applications
404 Senior Citizen Applications, Certificates of Error, and Senior Affidavits
96 Disabled Homeowner and Certificate of Error Applications
31 Disabled Veteran and Certificate of Error Applications
67 Name/Address Changes and Property Location Corrections
152 Homeowner and Certificate of Error Applications
2 Senior Tax Deferrals
231 Assessor Appeals, Certificates of Error & Board of Review Appeals*
5 Homeowner/Senior Exemption Waivers
1,297 Total Forms Completed**
*Orland Township’s 2022 Appeal filing period through the Cook County Assessor’s Office was 7-13-22 to 8-15-22. Our 2022 Appeal filing period through the Cook County Board of Review was 12-12-22 to 1-10-23.
**Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant change to the tax code pertaining to property tax years 2020 and 2021 (calendar years 2021 and 2022) allowed for the automatic renewal of exemptions which were not ordinarily automatic — namely the senior freeze, persons with disabilities, and veterans with disabilities exemptions. The total number of forms which our office completed decreased significantly because the automatic renewal eliminated the necessity of completing a renewal exemption form. This was welcome relief to numerous taxpayers.
For 2021, Orland Township had a total of 40,887 parcels, and for 2022 there were 40,922 parcels. This includes all residential properties (single-family, condominiums, and townhomes), commercial and industrial properties, vacant land, and tax-exempt properties. Orland Township covers a 36-square mile area, servicing all or parts of Orland Park, Tinley Park and Orland Hills, as well as the unincorporated areas within our boundaries. The Orland Township borders are 135th Street to the north, 183rd Street to the south, Harlem Avenue to the east, and Will-Cook Road to the west.
Twice per year our office schedules appointments — during our appeal filing periods through the Cook County Assessor’s Office and the Cook County Board of Review. Taxpayers may view appeal dates at cookcountyassessor.com under “Assessment Calendar and Deadlines.” When our Township is open for appeals through the Cook County Board of Review, those dates can also be viewed at cookcountyboardofreview.com under “Filing Dates and Deadlines.” Once our Township opens for appeals, taxpayers choosing to schedule appointments with our office may do so by phone. During the remainder of the year, appointments are not required. Calling ahead of time prior to an in-person visit to our office is highly recommended. Taxpayers visiting our office must sign our clipboard and provide their name, address, phone number, and email address (if applicable). We serve residents in the order in which they have signed in.
Orland Township’s Triennial Reassessment will be sometime in 2023. Our taxpayers will receive Notices in the mail directly from the Cook County Assessor’s Office. At this particular time, we do not know when these Reassessment Notices will be mailed.
Our daily hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. However, during months of heavier volume (generally January, February and March), we service taxpayers until 2:30 p.m. After that time, we are completing our daily work by emailing forms and documentation to the downtown Cook County Assessor’s Office.
In closing this article, I would like to take this opportunity to remind all taxpayers in our Township to review their Second Installment Property Tax Bills annually to make sure that the proper exemption(s) are being applied. One or more of the following exemptions may appear on the Second Installment Tax Bill:
Homeowner Exemption
Senior Exemption
“Senior Freeze” Exemption
Persons with Disabilities Exemption
Veterans with Disabilities Exemption
Returning Veterans Exemption
If you have any questions, you may contact me or one of my staff, Mary Ellen Colletti or Lea Sullivan, at (708) 403-4712. We will be happy to assist you. Please stay well and safe, and enjoy your spring!