County Assessments Office - Alejandro Benitez, Chief Assessment Officer

Information Request: Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

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The information you are seeking may likely already be accessible on this website and may not require you to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

Please navigate this website using the tools on the homepage or Online Services page. If the property for which the records are sought is located in a municipality, please contact the municipality directly for obtaining the records. A list of municipalities and other agencies can be found here.

If you would like to submit a FOIA request, please carefully read the information below. Illinois law requires public bodies to comply with or deny a FOIA request within five business days, unless the time for response is extended for an additional five business days, as allowed under the law. A request for records to be used for a commercial purpose requires a public body to respond within 21 business days.

METHODS TO REQUEST INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RECORDS

Please complete the Online FOIA Request Form or you can download the form [PDF] and mail, fax, email, or hand-deliver directly to the department for which the records are being sought.

Please be specific in the nature of your request in order for FOIA Officers to process your request more efficiently. (Illinois law does not require you to submit on the FOIA Request Form, but the request should be in writing). *Electronic records can be requested and will be provided, as allowed under the law.

COPY FEES (Some fees are regulated by state statutes)

First 50 pages are free (black & white, letter or legal size)
15 cents per page thereafter (black & white, letter or legal size)
Actual costs of copying for color copies

FOIA OFFICERS

Ginger Shaffer, Megan Brady and Mark Kernes

HOURS TO INSPECT/REVIEW RECORDS

8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Monday through Friday

ACCESS TO RECORDS

This office encourages the public to submit request for information via e-mail (AssessmentsFOIA@mchenrycountyil.gov), personal delivery, or US mail.

RECORDS AVAILABLE UPON IMMEDIATE REQUEST

Current and prior year tax rolls

RECORDS ON FILE

The following types and categories of records are under the control of the Office of Assessments. This list included records that are partially or wholly exempt from disclosure.

ABSTRACTS OF ASSESSMENTS
ADDRESS/MAIL NAME CHANGE FORMS
ADMINISTRATIVE CORRESPONDENCE FILES
AERIAL VIEW MAPS
ANNUAL ASSESSOR’S MEETING AGENDAS AND NOTES
ANNUAL REPORT OF ASSESSMENTS
APPLICATION FOR AUTHORITY TO DISPOSE OF LOCAL RECORDS DISPOSAL CERTIFICATES
APPLICATION FOR OPEN SPACE ASSESSMENT
ASSESSMENT CHANGE NOTICES
ASSESSMENT RECORDS IN A DEVNET DATA BASE
ASSESSOR BONUS RECORDS
ASSESSOR CORRECTIONS (INCLUDES 10 DAY NOTICES, CORRESPONDENCE, HEARING NOTICE WHERE APPLICABLE, NOTICE OF FINDINGS)
BOARD OF REVIEW COMPLAINT DOCKETS
BOARD OF REVIEW COMPLAINT FILES (INCLUDES COMPLAINT FILED, NOTICE OF HEARING, BOARD NOTES, FINAL DECISION AND TAX DISTRICT NOTICES (100K LETTERS) WHEN NEEDED, EVIDENCE, APPRAISALS)
BOARD OF REVIEW COMPLAINT FORMS
BUDGET AND BUDGET WORKSHEETS
BUILDING PERMITS (COPIES)
CERTIFICATES OF ERROR
CERTIFICATES OF EXEMPT STATUS
CERTIFICATES OF PUBLICATION
CERTIFICATION FROM DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE (PETITION FOR TAX EXEMPTION)
CONSERVATION EASEMENTS
CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP APPLICATIONS
CONTRACTS, LEASES AND AGREEMENTS
DAILY/MONTHLY/YEAR TO DATE REPORTS
DISABLED PERSONS EXEMPTION APPLICATIONS
DISABLED VETERANS EXEMPTIONS
EQUALIZATION LISTS
FALLEN OFFICERS EXEMPTION APPLICATIONS
FARMLAND COMMITTEE MEETING (INCLUDES NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS, CORRESPONDENCE, NOTES, ETC)
FORESTRY MANAGEMENT APPLICATIONS
GENERAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS
GRAVEL PIT FILES
HISTORIC MAP CHANGES (SCANNED)
HISTORICAL PROPERTIES ASSESSMENTS
HOMESTEAD IMPROVEMENT EXEMPTIONS
INVOICES, VOUCHERS AND PAID BILLS (COPIES)
LEGAL CASE FILES
LINE MAPS
MAPPING DIVISIONS AND COMBINATIONS, DAILY/MONTHLY PARCEL COUNTS, ACRES, TAX CODE CHANGES, ETC.
MINUTES AND AGENDA FOR BOARD OF REVIEW
MODEL HOME APPLICATIONS
NATURE PRESERVES
OCCUPANCY PERMITS (COPIES)
OLD “UNIQUE NUMBER” LISTING
PARCEL GENEOLOGY FILE
PROPERTY TAX APPEAL BOARD DECISIONS AND APPLICATIONS
PURCHASE REQUISITIONS (COPIES)
REAL ESTATE COMPLAINTS
REAL ESTATE SALES RECORDS
REAL ESTATE TRANSFER DECLARATIONS
RECLASSIFICATION REPORTS
REPORT OF PROPERTIES ASSESSED AT ONE MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE
RESOLUTIONS
RETURNING VETERANS EXEMPTION APPLICATIONS
SALES RATIO LISTINGS, STUDIES AND WORKSHEETS
SENIOR CITIZEN HOMESTEAD ASSESSMENT FREEZE EXEMPTION APPLICATIONS
SENIOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION APPLICATIONS
TRUST FILES TO CONFIRM OWNERSHIP FOR SENIOR EXEMPTIONS
VETERANS/FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS ASSESSMENT FREEZE FILES
WEIGHTED ADJUSTMENTS TO EQUALIZATION

TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET

Complete County Budget available online.

FUNCTION

It is the function of the county Office of Assessments to monitor and direct the countywide valuation of real property for the purpose of real estate taxation. This mandated function includes but is not limited to:

Provide assistance and information to the individual township assessors
Monitor all functions for compliance with state statutes and IL Department of Revenue procedures
Apply exemptions and preferential assessments
Analyze sales data and conduct sales ratio studies
Apply equalization factors
Provide proper taxpayer notification of assessments through mailed notices and publication
Monitor and direct an unbiased appeal procedure to assure due process
Prepare abstracts and reports for submission to the Illinois Department of Revenue
Timely certification of the completed assessment roll to the County Clerk in manner to facilitate timely tax calculation and billing as prescribed by statute
Assist Board of Review in defense of decisions when appealed to the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board
Maintain Parcel Identification Numbering system
Maintain an accurate county cadastral map system, including line maps, and other property & owner information, to be used by the property tax function, other county offices, other governmental offices and the public, in conjunction with the county's Geographical Information System