Property tax bills on the West Side are reaching unsustainable levels, leaving residents reeling. For many, including Tonya Reed and her husband, the increase is not only crippling their finances but also forcing them to consider drastic measures.
Reed's property tax bill more than doubled from $5,100 last year to $11,000 this year, causing a significant strain on her monthly mortgage payment. She is now paying around $2,400, which is an additional $500 per month. Her 22-year-old son in college is also being affected by the increased expenses.
"We're supposed to get an increase in our paychecks," Reed said at a community meeting hosted by Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi's office. "Do I pull him out of school just so we can keep a roof over our head?"
The median homeowner tax bill on the West Side has increased by nearly 133%, according to a report by the Cook County treasurer's office. This surge in property taxes is largely attributed to large commercial properties like retail and data centers, which have seen reductions in their tax assessments.
Residents are now struggling to make ends meet, with some questioning the accuracy of the assessed values. Dorothy Rosenthal, 65, from West Garfield Park, expressed skepticism about the value of her property after her basement flooded in 2023 and wasn't drained until 16 hours later. Despite this, her property tax bill increased by around $1,600.
"I don't think at 133%," she said. "Not after we suffered flooding that we never really recovered from."
The Cook County Assessor's Office is hosting emergency town hall meetings to provide assistance and guidance to affected residents. However, many feel that more needs to be done to address the issue of skyrocketing property taxes on the West Side.
As payments are due this Monday, residents are left wondering what they can do to alleviate their financial burden.
Reed's property tax bill more than doubled from $5,100 last year to $11,000 this year, causing a significant strain on her monthly mortgage payment. She is now paying around $2,400, which is an additional $500 per month. Her 22-year-old son in college is also being affected by the increased expenses.
"We're supposed to get an increase in our paychecks," Reed said at a community meeting hosted by Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi's office. "Do I pull him out of school just so we can keep a roof over our head?"
The median homeowner tax bill on the West Side has increased by nearly 133%, according to a report by the Cook County treasurer's office. This surge in property taxes is largely attributed to large commercial properties like retail and data centers, which have seen reductions in their tax assessments.
Residents are now struggling to make ends meet, with some questioning the accuracy of the assessed values. Dorothy Rosenthal, 65, from West Garfield Park, expressed skepticism about the value of her property after her basement flooded in 2023 and wasn't drained until 16 hours later. Despite this, her property tax bill increased by around $1,600.
"I don't think at 133%," she said. "Not after we suffered flooding that we never really recovered from."
The Cook County Assessor's Office is hosting emergency town hall meetings to provide assistance and guidance to affected residents. However, many feel that more needs to be done to address the issue of skyrocketing property taxes on the West Side.
As payments are due this Monday, residents are left wondering what they can do to alleviate their financial burden.
I'm literally shaking thinking about those ppl 
they're being hit with a 133% increase in property tax bills and it's just not fair 
I mean, Dorothy Rosenthal's basement flooded for 16 hours and she gets stuck with an extra $1,600 in taxes? That's just mental 
and what's worse is that these ppl are having to choose between paying their rent/mortgage or college tuition 
it's like the system is rigged against them. The government needs to step up and do something about this ASAP 
and the fact that some big commercial properties like retail and data centers are getting away with it is just not fair 
i mean, i get that they're paying more taxes too but come on, someone's gotta pay for those fancy amenities and repairs 
and poor dorothy rosenthal was literally left flooded for 16 hours and she still got hit with a huge tax increase 
It feels like no one's really listening to the residents' concerns...
.
. We need to do something about this ASAP!
These large companies are making bank off our hard work and now we're the ones getting hurt? 
Maybe the county should look into reevaluating those assessments or offer more assistance programs for people struggling to make ends meet 
This isn't right and someone needs to listen to these residents 
. Can't we find a way to make it more manageable for everyone? 
... like it's trying to swat at the screen or something 
... anyway, back to property taxes... i feel so bad for people like Tonya and Dorothy who are struggling to make ends meet. I mean, who can afford to pull their kids out of college just to keep a roof over their head? 
it's not fair that some commercial properties get away with paying less in taxes while regular homeowners are getting hit with huge increases... i guess they should at least be reassessed if there was some kind of flood damage or something 
... do you guys think the county is doing enough to help these people? 
... like Dorothy said, flooding doesn't just magically disappear because you pay more tax, you know?
... do we need to rethink how property taxes work altogether?
and it's not just the homeowners who are getting roasted 
, think about all those businesses that have seen their tax assessments go down 
, yet we're seeing a huge spike in property taxes? that doesn't seem right to me 
. and let's not forget about people like Tonya Reed's son, who's already struggling with tuition fees 
, adding $500 more to his mortgage bill is just cruel 
.