I beat the tax man !!!!!!! TWICE !!!!!!

I had a hearing today at the Will County Illinois Tax Assessors Office.....and I won...TWICE !! Chalk one up for the little guys.

First order at stake was home value, I appealed my tax assessment amount due to falling home prices nationwide. I lost 11% total value in 2007 and 13% in 2008. My appeal was based on the value Will County CLAIMED my house was worth for the tax year 2008 (which is due June 2009). They refused to drop the value of my home even though prices have dropped, their statement was they use a 3 year average of the value to determine current value. Fair enough if thats the way it was done, so I filed a appeal and was granted a hearing this morning.

When the hearing started they asked me to present my claim and my proof, so I told them my complaint and handed over tax bills from 1999 to 2007. They of course proceeded to tell me about the 3 year average value formula they use, fine I said, but the county has not followed their own rule. I presented evidence that the county had assessed my property two times a year (VERY EXCESSIVE) from 1999 until 2005, starting in 2006 they assessed it once, NOTHING in 2007 and now their "3 year average" for 2008 which is based off the 2004,2005 and 2006 assessements and not actual value or even "3 year average". I WON !! They came back and said I had in fact not been assessed correctly for not only 2008 but also 2007. My 2008 tax bill was reduced by $1120 and I was owed $1030 from the 2007 year. KICK ASS

Second matter at stake was a reassessment of total square footage of my home. The county had added 220 square feet to my home size even though I had changed nothing. The county claimed they "missed" a 11 foot x 20 foot patio I had installed. The problem is I had the builder install the patio for me when I was having the home built in 1998 !! It had been there SINCE 1998 !! And further more it is not attached to the house at all, it is actually 36 inches from the foundation of the house. I presented pictures of the patio and original paperwork from the builder, it was a side job for the concrete man, fully legal and proper building permits had been pulled. I WON !! They rolled back my square footage to the original number since "non attached additions that do not include living space is non taxable property" and reduced the tax bill to show correct, another $218 reduction. KICK DOUBLE ASS

I honestly walked in there expecting to win the square footage issue but I was sure they would give me some bullshit run around on the assessed value issue. I walked out of there so fu&%ing happy I cant begin to tell you !! Me and the wife are going to Chinns for steak and crablegs tonight....but she dont even know yet...sshhh...LOL..... Thanks Will County

LampHead

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