^lAMAC£,
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the current real-estate tax assessment system has yielded grossly inequitable results, with undue negative impacts on minority communities; and
WHEREAS, unless action is taken, many home and business-owners in the City of Chicago will continue to pay more than their fair share of real estate taxes due to such inequitable results; and
WHEREAS, unless action is taken, many home and business-owners, including those of ample means who reside in or utilize homes and businesses of high market value in prosperous districts and regions, will continue to pay less than their fair share of real estate taxes due to the one-sided manner in which the real-estate tax assessment system can be manipulated; and
WHEREAS, under-assessed properties negatively impact the capacity of the City and other governmental entities to promote and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the schoolchildren, residents, workers, and visitors; and
WHEREAS, under the Illinois Property Tax Code, any taxpayer may challenge unfair under-assessments by filing a complaint with the county assessor and the county board of review, requesting that they revise the assessments in question; and
WHEREAS, those who pay more than their fair share of real estate taxes very often are not in a position to retain legal counsel or otherwise advocate for their interests in the one-sided assessment system; and
WHEREAS, under the Illinois Property Tax Code, the Assessor and the Board of Review are required to jointly make and prescribe rules for the assessment of property; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, That no later than September 30, 2017, Corporation Counsel shall, in coordination with pro bono law firms as are recruited by members ofthe City Council, file, cause to be filed, or support the filing, singly or individually on behalf ofthe City and over-assessed property owners, one or more complaints with the county assessor and the county board of review, asking such bo...
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