Cook announces one-stop property tax site

If all goes as planned, beginning April 1 property owners in Cook County will have to use only one website to do all of their property tax research.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Treasurer Maria Pappas announced the creation of a “web portal” Thursday that allows “one-stop property tax information.”

Users are able to see five years of documents filed regarding their properties that have normally been housed at six different locations — with the treasurer, clerk, assessor, recorder, township or board of review. County officials said the new website will allow owners to see all documents related to their parcels.

Additionally, taxpayers looking to appeal their assessments can use the site to find comparable properties on which to base their appeals.

The cost of creating the website was absorbed by Pappas’ office at no additional cost to taxpayers, the officials said.

The new website is an information-only portal, so taxpayers still have to go to Pappas’ website to pay property taxes online. The first property tax payment is due March 1.