Ela Township residents received assessment notices in the fall, and Monday, Nov. 22,  is the deadline to raise questions about  the current market value of your home.

Though most of the assessments were on the decline in the township, market values have dropped significantly, says John Barrington, Ela Township Assessor.

"Property owners are seeking to limit their assessment which will in turn reduce their tax bill which is received in May," Barrington said. 

"The deadline for appeals is Monday, and at this point in the game we would prefer to work with homeowners directly. With the number of backlog reviews we have, we won't likely be able to get any answers by the deadline," said Barrington.

Barrington says his office's goal is to review those documents and come up with a resolution to help homeowners avoid a costly board of review hearing in Waukegan.

Township residents can download the necessary documents at www.lakecountyil.gov/assessments and Barrington says he will work with homeowners to come up with a recommendation as quickly as possible.  

Barrington adds that another important reason to work with his office is to  determine if there any factual errors in the assessments that would affect property values.

Additional information about exemptions for homeowners is available in the Fall 2010 newsletter, which can be accessed at http://www.toi.org/ELATOWNSHIP/ under the info center button.

The Ela Township Assessor's office hours are Monday through Thursday from 8a.m. to 5p.m. and on Fridays from 8a.m. until 1p.m. If you have questions, contact the office at 847-438-8370.