Macomb, IL – Many local governments in western Illinois will be getting their tax payments later than usual this year.
McDonough County Supervisor of Assessments Tammy Camp says changes from the state in how agricultural land is to be assessed are slowing preparation of final assessments.
Camp says some counties have just published their assessment values as required.
They include Hancock, Warren, Fulton, Mercer and Schuyler. McDonough County published its assessments last month.
After that, steps include:
* Allowing people to file appeals with the Board of Review.
* Forwarding Board of Review changes to the state for checking -- usually one to two weeks.
* Forwarding figures to the county clerk who figures tax rates -- four to six weeks.
* Sending the tax rates to the county treasurer, who prints and mails tax bills -- one to two weeks.
* Waiting for the first-half payment: it's due 30 days from the postmark on the tax bill.
Camp says the first tax payment usually comes in July. Assessors from several counties say they expect the first property tax payments to be paid in September this year.
That will stretch some budgets. It could also result in many inter-fund transfers in municipal budgets.
Camp says the state changes this year include:
* Basing the tax rate on the type of soils on each farm, instead of a state-set productivity index.
* Limiting the size of a home site to a maximum of one acre. The tax rate on a home site is lower than other types of farmland.
* Requiring all counties to have a computerized geographic information system in place.