Do homework first, then apply for break

Regarding the Longtime Occupant Exemption: Rob Johnson of Streamwood wrote a letter on this, urging people to call the Cook County Assessor's Office and gave the phone number. He said if your income is $100,000 or less, and you have lived in your house for basically 10 years or more, you qualify.

First, I'm so glad this worked for Rob.

But before you call downtown and get excited, get your property index number from your tax bill and go online to cookcountyassessor.com.

Then click on "property search" with your PIN number or "search by PIN" then click on exemptions.

Scroll down to where it says Calculate the Exemption.

Under Item 3, you will see a line that says EAV Difference (and an amount). The next line says Maximum 7 percent expanded exemption allowed (amount).

If your EAV is less than the Maximum 7 percent amount, you do not qualify.

Example: EAV difference: $15,000; maximum 7 percent expanded exemption allowed: 26,000. You get nothing. If your EAV amount was $27,000 you would qualify for $1,000.

Also, when you do call downtown get the NAME of the person you talk to, first and last. I was told to come on down to Clark Street and they would take care of me, and I would only have to pay the reduced amount for the second installment of 2008.

Had I driven down there and learned I didn't qualify I would have gone berserk! They have pulled people from other departments to answer phones about exemptions because this is such a busy time, but some of these people on the phones don't know what they're talking about.

Linda Kimsey

Streamwood