093_SB0270

 
                                     LRB093 03428 SJM 03453 b

 1        AN ACT concerning property taxes.

 2        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section  5.  The Property Tax Code is amended by changing
 5    Sections 14-5 and 23-10 as follows:

 6        (35 ILCS 200/14-5)
 7        Sec. 14-5.  Incorrect listing; refund.
 8        (a)  An assessment shall not  be  considered  as  invalid
 9    because  the  assessment  was not correctly listed or because
10    the assessment was not in the  name  of  the  true  owner  or
11    owners.
12        (b)  If,  because  of an error by an assessor, a property
13    is assessed or billed in the name of a person who is not  the
14    true  owner  or  otherwise liable for the payment of the tax,
15    and that person pays taxes on the property,  the  amounts  so
16    paid  shall be refunded.  A claim for refund shall be made to
17    the county collector.  If the county collector  notifies  the
18    claimant  that  the  county  collector is unable to determine
19    whether the claim is proper or denies the claim, then, at the
20    taxpayer's election, the claim may be presented  on  petition
21    to  the  circuit court in the same manner and within the same
22    time limitation as  claims  for  refund  under  initiated  by
23    filing  a  complaint  with  the  board  of review or board of
24    appeals  and  the  board  shall  allow  the  refund  if   the
25    requirements  of  this  Section  are  met.  If  the refund is
26    ordered, the refund shall be made by the county collector  in
27    the  manner  provided  by  Section 20-175. A claim for refund
28    under this Section must be made  within  5  years  after  the
29    taxes  were  incorrectly paid. After the refund is allowed by
30    the county collector, the assessor or the  county  clerk,  or
31    both, Upon allowing a refund, the board of review or board of
 
                            -2-      LRB093 03428 SJM 03453 b
 1    appeals shall list and assess the property in the name of the
 2    corrected  assessee  of  record  correct  owner under Section
 3    9-265. Any unpaid tax resulting  from  a  refund  under  this
 4    Section  shall  be  added  to the taxes on the property for a
 5    subsequent year pursuant to Section 14-40.
 6    (Source: P.A. 86-180; 88-455.)

 7        (35 ILCS 200/23-10)
 8        Sec. 23-10.  Tax objections and  copies.  Beginning  with
 9    the  2003  1994  tax year, in counties with 3,000,000 or more
10    inhabitants, and beginning with the  1995  tax  year  in  all
11    other  counties,  the person paying the taxes due as provided
12    in Section 23-5 may file  a  tax  objection  complaint  under
13    Section 23-15 within 180 75 days after the first penalty date
14    of  the  final installment of taxes for the year in question.
15    Beginning with the 2003 tax year, in counties with less  than
16    3,000,000  inhabitants,  the  person  paying the taxes due as
17    provided in Section 23-5 may file a tax  objection  complaint
18    under  Section  23-15 within 120 days after the first penalty
19    date of the final  installment  of  taxes  for  the  year  in
20    question.    However,  in  all counties in cases in which the
21    complaint is permitted to  be  filed  without  payment  under
22    Section 23-5, it must be filed prior to the entry of judgment
23    under  Section  21-175.  In  addition, the time specified for
24    payment of the tax provided in  Section  23-5  shall  not  be
25    construed  to delay or prevent the entry of judgment against,
26    or the sale of, tax delinquent property if the taxes have not
27    been paid prior  to  the  entry  of  judgment  under  Section
28    21-175.  An objection to an assessment for any year shall not
29    be allowed by the court, however, if an administrative remedy
30    was available by complaint to the board of appeals  or  board
31    of  review under Section 16-55 or Section 16-115, unless that
32    remedy was exhausted prior to the filing of the tax objection
33    complaint.
 
                            -3-      LRB093 03428 SJM 03453 b
 1        When any complaint is filed with the court  in  a  county
 2    with   less  than  3,000,000 inhabitants, the plaintiff shall
 3    file 3 copies of the complaint with the clerk of the  circuit
 4    court.   Any complaint or amendment thereto shall contain (i)
 5    on the first page a listing of the taxing  districts  against
 6    which  the  complaint  is  directed and (ii) a summary of the
 7    reasons for the tax objections set  forth  in  the  complaint
 8    with  enough  copies of the summary to be distributed to each
 9    of the  taxing  districts  against  which  the  complaint  is
10    directed.  Within  10  days after the complaint is filed, the
11    clerk of the circuit court shall  deliver  one  copy  to  the
12    State's  Attorney  and  one  copy to the county clerk, taking
13    their receipts therefor. The county clerk  shall,  within  30
14    days  from  the last day for the filing of complaints, notify
15    the duly elected or appointed custodian  of  funds  for  each
16    taxing  district  that  may  be  affected  by  the complaint,
17    stating (i) that a complaint has  been  filed  and  (ii)  the
18    summary  of  the  reasons for the tax objections set forth in
19    the complaint.  Any amendment  to  a  complaint,  except  any
20    amendment  permitted  to  be  made  in  open court during the
21    course of a hearing on the complaint, shall also be filed  in
22    triplicate,  with  one copy delivered to the State's Attorney
23    and one copy delivered to the county clerk by  the  clerk  of
24    the  circuit court. The State's Attorney shall within 10 days
25    of receiving his or her copy of the amendment notify the duly
26    elected or appointed  custodian  of  funds  for  each  taxing
27    district  whose  tax monies may be affected by the amendment,
28    stating (i) that the amendment has been filed  and  (ii)  the
29    summary  of  the  reasons for the tax objections set forth in
30    the amended complaint. The State's Attorney shall also notify
31    the custodian and the county clerk in writing  of  the  date,
32    time  and  place  of  any hearing before the court to be held
33    upon the complaint or amended complaint not later than 4 days
34    prior to the hearing.  The notices provided in  this  Section
 
                            -4-      LRB093 03428 SJM 03453 b
 1    shall  be  by letter addressed to the custodian or the county
 2    clerk and may be mailed by  regular  mail,  postage  prepaid,
 3    postmarked  within  the  required period, but not less than 4
 4    days before a hearing.
 5    (Source: P.A. 91-578, eff. 8-14-99.)

 6        Section 90.  The State Mandates Act is amended by  adding
 7    Section 8.27 as follows:

 8        (30 ILCS 805/8.27 new)
 9        Sec.  8.27.  Exempt  mandate.  Notwithstanding Sections 6
10    and 8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is  required
11    for  the  implementation  of  any  mandate  created  by  this
12    amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.

13        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
14    becoming law.