2020 Second Installment Cook County Real Estate Tax Bills Are Expected To Be Due On October 1, 2021

The Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas has publicly stated that she expects the second installment 2020 real estate tax bill to be due on October 1, 2021.  Ms. Pappas anticipates that the bills will go out in August so that they are received by Cook County taxpayers at least 30 days before the October 1, 2021 payment deadline.  There were reports that the tax bills were being delayed because of errors found in the Cook County Assessor’s Office’s miscalculation of the senior freeze exemptions.  Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney, Kim Foxx issued an opinion letter which stated that the Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough lack the authority to refuse to calculate tax rates or prepare and mail the tax bills.  Ms. Foxx wrote to Cook County Assessor’s legal counsel that the Treasurer’s and Clerk’s duty are ministerial and mandatory and should not be held up.  Ms. Yabrough’s office has stated that it typically takes her office two weeks to make their calculations before they send the tax rates to Ms. Pappas’ office who then prints and mails the tax bills.  Ms. Pappas said that the tax bills will be mailed in August with a due date of October 1 which was already the last day to pay without penalty.