Click here to download the 2010 storm damage assessment relief request form

Any questions regarding assessments may be addressed to the York Township Assessor's Office, 630-627-3354.

The 2009 assessments are now available in the Property Record Search.  Please check our Dates to Remember page for more information on publication and filing dates.

The Assessor's Office is charged by the state to estimate the market value of 45,000 parcels of property within York Township--then assess each property at one-third of market value. Real estate taxes to support the various taxing bodies are based on these assessments and result from those taxing districts applying their tax rates to assessments. Governing boards elected in each district set the budgets for that taxing district.

The Assessor's Office can also provide additional information on the many facets of the assessment cycle, appeal process, and senior exemptions. Residents are welcome to call or stop by to discuss their assessment concerns.

My staff and I continue to hear from many property owners who are concerned about the downturn in the real estate market.  As homeowners and property tax-payers ourselves, my staff and I are aware of the frustration of seeing property taxes continue to rise amid reports of plunging values, increased foreclosures and properties remaining on the market for extended time periods.
 
As required by Illinois state statutes, it is the responsibility of my office to annually assess properties at one-third of the fair market value as of January 1st of each assessment year - using sales that occurred in the prior three years.  Using this method, we will always lag behind the activity in the marketplace.  When values/sales prices are increasing, this three year sales history ensures that assessments increase gradually.  As values/sales prices fall, it will take multiple years for these changes to be reflected in property assessments.
 
The 2009 assessments posted on this website, which were used as the basis for the most recent tax bills, were calculated based on sales that occurred in 2008, 2007 and 2006.  The market remained healthy and active for most of 2006 and part of 2007, and saw significant declines in both the volume of sales activity and property values in 2008.  While sales prices do appear to have declined in 2009, we cannot consider those sales until we place the 2010 assessments.  Also, state law does not allow us to consider non-traditional sale transactions, such as foreclosures, when determining assessed values.
 
Although my staff and I are monitoring market conditions closely, please remember that even in the event the market downturn is sustained long enough to cause decreasing assessments, this does not mean taxes will go down.  For taxes to decrease, regardless of the change in assessments, taxing districts, such as, cities, villages, school, park and library districts must reduce spending.  If assessments were reduced, but taxing districts continue to increase spending, taxes will continue to rise.

© 2002-2010 York Township. All rights reserved.

Deanna Wilkins
Assessor