Cook Board urges action on senior tax exemption

The Cook County Board today passed a resolution urging the Illinois General Assembly to halt the requirement that senior citizens apply annually for their property-tax exemption.

With all 17 commissioners joining to co-sponsor the resolution, the county board argued that the requirement — imposed last year as part of the extension of a $20,000 property tax exemption for Cook County homeowners — created “an unfunded mandate on the county.”

When Assessor Joseph Berrios mailed 300,000 application forms out early last month, he said it was costing the county $300,000.

Yet commissioners put the debate in more human terms during today’s county-board meeting.

“This is a hardship on the seniors,” said Crestwood Democrat Joan Patricia Murphy, who said her office had received more than 100 calls for help on the issue from seniors.

“We should make it as simple for them as possible,” added Chicago Democrat Deborah Sims.

The resolution passed by acclamation. Evanston Democrat Larry Suffredin said that such legislation is already pending in Springfield, and that it looked promising in the state Senate, but needed help in the House.

Previous Assessor James Houlihan ended the requirement that seniors reapply annually in 2007.