Grafton Assessor Holds Classes On Appealing Assessments

With probably three weeks yet to go before Grafton Township property tax assessments are published, some homeowners are already planning to appeal whatever they turn out to be.  In fact, Grafton Assessor Bill Ottley's been holding training classes in how to do it.

"They're not protesting my assessment," said Ottley at Friday's class.  "They're protesting the Board of Review."  That leads into how valuations actually get set, a complicated process with more  loops and feedback in it than Jimi Hendrix's guitar.  The bottom line is Ottley says  he's fine with appeals. Hence, the how-to lessons.

"Three years ago I hired a realtor to help me," said a LITH Boulder Ridge resident Friday asking not to be identified.  "He charged me too much.  I didn't know I could do it myself."

"I'm definitely appealing my property taxes when we get it in the mail," said Lakewood resident Tracey Beck, another Friday attendee.  "I learned I don't need an attorney.  That's huge."

Actually, a lot of the info about appealing's already posted here on the Assessor's site:

(http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/departments/assessments/PDFDocs/How%20to%20File%20an%20Appeal.pdf)

However, in the class homeowners can ask questions.  It's free and lasts about an hour.  Here's the schedule for the next classes that aren't full yet:

Oct.  9 - 10 AM
Oct. 11 - 10 AM
Oct. 15 - 10 AM
Oct. 15 -  6 PM
Oct. 17 - 10 AM
Oct. 19 - 10 AM

There's only room in the Assessor's Office for 10 people at a time, however, so attendance is RSVP. The reservation number is 847-669-3383.

In the pic: Grafton Assessor Bill Ottley Friday said residents can call his office if they don't understand their assessments.  "There are no dumb questions when it comes to this," he said.