Crowds lead Schaumburg Township Assessor to install police guard

So many angry taxpayers lined up at the Schaumburg Township Assessor's office Friday that Assessor John R. Lawson said he hired a police officer to secure the office this week.

Lawson said the citizens came to his office with complaints about the second installment of their Cook County real estate tax bills, which were mailed Wednesday. Bills increased between $1,000 and $3,000 compared with last year's bills among the hundreds of taxpayers who sought assistance Friday, Lawson said.

“I could understand how irate these people are because it's ridiculous,” Lawson said.

Lawson said there were no safety issues with the crowd Friday, but he hired a police officer and will be bringing in extra staff to ensure Monday and the rest of next week run smoothly.

Some senior citizens told the assessor's office they would be unable to pay the higher taxes, he said, and he worries that higher taxes combined with lower property values may tax residents out of their homes.

But all Lawson's office can do is help taxpayers whose exemptions for owning a home longer than 12 months, or being a veteran or senior citizen were not properly recorded on their bills, he said. Municipalities, school districts, the state and other taxing bodies already set their tax rates, and it is past the fall deadline to appeal a property's assessed value, he added.

“This is not a township assessor issue; this is the taxing bodies,” Lawson said.

Friday was the first day citizens could have received the second installment of the Cook County real estate tax bill because of Veterans Day Thursday, Lawson said. So he expects a large line to form at his office, 1 Illinois Blvd., Hoffman Estates, Monday as well.

The office is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.