Cook County property tax owners will soon get a bill for their months-delayed second installment tax bills.
The 1.8 million property tax bills were expected to be mailed Friday with a due date of Dec. 15, according to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s office.
The bills are typically mailed out in the summer. The delay stems from a years-long technology upgrade that county officials said is more complex than anticipated, and residents told NBC 5 Responds last month they are growing increasingly frustrated.
Preckwinkle’s office acknowledged that “the critical overhaul of the technological backbone of the Cook County property tax system has had an impact on the County’s property tax processes and timelines.”
Preckwinkle noted her office initiated a Bridge Loan Program to “provide hundreds of millions of dollars in no interest loans to local taxing jurisdictions (LTJs) across Cook County” meant to “offset fiscal challenges that local taxing districts may have experienced due to the delay.”
Still property owners’ tax bills are due 30 days after the mailing date.
What Taxpayers Need to Know
According to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s office:
- Interest will not accrue until after the due date passes.
- Property tax bills are due 30 days after the mailing date.
NBC 5 Responds previously requested an interview with Preckwinkle’s office but the request was declined.
What Caused the Delay
According to records, Cook County contracted Tyler Technologies to implement a new integrated property tax and mass appraisal system.
Records reviewed by NBC 5 Responds show Cook County awarded the company two contracts since 2015, one for the Integrated Property Tax and Mass Appraisal System, and another for the Electronic Court Docket and Case Management System. Together, the contracts total nearly $87 million.
However, Tyler Technologies’ business license with the State of Illinois was revoked on Sept. 12, according to the Secretary of State’s office. The company failed to file an annual report and must now pay fees and submit paperwork to reinstate its license.
Tyler Technologies previously declined an on-camera interview but said in a statement it is working with the state to resolve the issue.
Tyler Technologies said the upgrade involves integrating three county agencies—each using different legacy systems—and converting 20 years of data. The company also cited agency leadership changes and a request to convert data for a board audit as reasons for the delay.
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