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Meet Janet Roush, Plato Township Assessor
Welcome to the Plato Township Web Site! I hope you find this website informative and helpful. I just wanted to let you know a few things about myself and how I contribute to our Township Government.
I was raised in Elgin, graduating from Elgin High School and attended Elgin Community College. I have worked at a variety of jobs including Gail Borden Library, Home Federal Savings and Ford Motor Credit. After marrying my husband Gary, and moving to the Plato area, I became the Assessor in 1990. Gary and I have raised four children, three sons and one daughter all of whom attended District 301 schools.
I hold a CIAO designation (Certified Illinois Assessing Officer) attending over 450 hours of Assessing classes through the Illinois Department of Revenue, Illinois Property Assessment Institute, and International Association of Assessing Officers
My office is located in the Town Hall on Rippburger Road in Plato Center. I have two Deputies who assist two days a week, Sue Irvin and Pam Neisendorf. Our office is usually open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. We spend a lot of time in visiting or measuring properties so please call ahead of time if you wish to see us.
My primary goal as Assessor is to have our properties assessed fairly and accurately. If you feel that you are not being assessed fairly please call the office at 847-464-4221 and we can discuss your concerns. Thank you for visiting this website and please let me know if I can be of any service to you.
Janet Roush – CIAO
Plato Township Assessor
Plato Township Supervisor's Office
10N924 Rippburger Road
Elgin, IL 60124
Ph. 847-464-4221
platoassessor@comcast.net
How can my assessment be higher than my recent appraisal?
An assessment by state law represents the value as of Jan 1st based on the three previous year’s sales that have occurred. Therefore for the 2011 assessments we looked at sales that occurred in 2008, 2009, and 2010. For 2012 I will look at the sales that occurred in 2009, 2010, and 2011. These sales are analyzed and compared with their assessed values and their sale cost per square foot. An assessment is to distribute the tax burden fairly within each tax district. If two homes are exactly alike they should have the same assessment even though they may have a different purchase price. The three year average keeps the tax process a little more even making it easier for the taxing districts and the tax payer to budget their taxes. An appraisal is usually based on what the housing market is doing for the last 6 months to 1 year. Many of the banks have tightened their lending practices and are making it more difficult to get a loan.
Why are my taxes higher than my neighbors?
As the Assessor I do not know what anyone pays in taxes. I only place value on properties in Plato Township. There may be many reasons why someone’s taxes are less; are they entitled to exemptions that you may not be getting?; is it based on a full year or is it a prorated house that only has a partial assessment?; is the land at a developer’s rate or at a full residential value?; are they entitled to farm land assessment?; do they have the same taxing districts? Plato Township has many different taxing districts, each with their own tax rate. The various taxing districts for your property would determine the total tax you pay. A listing of the taxing districts for your property is on your tax bill along with each of the taxing district’s rates.
Why did I not receive a notice this year?
An assessment notice is sent to any property owner that I made a change to their assessment. If I did not change the assessment there is no notice sent. The Supervisor of Assessment prints my changes in the local newspaper (in Plato’s area that is the Courier News) along with the amount of a multiplier, if any, that would be applied to all properties in the township excluding farmland. I also update our website so property owners will know that a multiplier was applied.
What do I do if I do not agree with my assessment?
If after receiving your new assessment you feel your property has been incorrectly valued, please call this office at 847-464-4221. We can go over your questions or concerns and make any corrections if necessary. If after talking with us you still feel you are not being assessed fairly, you may file a complaint with the Kane County Board of Review, and request a hearing. Complaint forms may be obtained at the Supervisor of Assessments Office within 30 days from the date of publication in the newspaper for the new assessments. Please remember that this hearing must be regarding the market value of your property for the current assessment year only. It cannot be concerning the taxes you pay or your tax rate.
How can my assessment be higher than my recent appraisal?
An assessment by state law represents the value as of Jan 1st based on the three previous year’s sales that have occurred. Therefore for the 2011 assessments we looked at sales that occurred in 2008, 2009, and 2010. For 2012 I will look at the sales that occurred in 2009, 2010, and 2011. These sales are analyzed and compared with their assessed values and their sale cost per square foot. An assessment is to distribute the tax burden fairly within each tax district. If two homes are exactly alike they should have the same assessment even though they may have a different purchase price. The three year average keeps the tax process a little more even making it easier for the taxing districts and the tax payer to budget their taxes. An appraisal is usually based on what the housing market is doing for the last 6 months to 1 year. Many of the banks have tightened their lending practices and are making it more difficult to get a loan.
Why are my taxes higher than my neighbors?
As the Assessor I do not know what anyone pays in taxes. I only place value on properties in Plato Township. There may be many reasons why someone’s taxes are less; are they entitled to exemptions that you may not be getting?; is it based on a full year or is it a prorated house that only has a partial assessment?; is the land at a developer’s rate or at a full residential value?; are they entitled to farm land assessment?; do they have the same taxing districts? Plato Township has many different taxing districts, each with their own tax rate. The various taxing districts for your property would determine the total tax you pay. A listing of the taxing districts for your property is on your tax bill along with each of the taxing district’s rates.
Why did I not receive a notice this year?
An assessment notice is sent to any property owner that I made a change to their assessment. If I did not change the assessment there is no notice sent. The Supervisor of Assessment prints my changes in the local newspaper (in Plato’s area that is the Courier News) along with the amount of a multiplier, if any, that would be applied to all properties in the township excluding farmland. I also update our website so property owners will know that a multiplier was applied.
What do I do if I do not agree with my assessment?
If after receiving your new assessment you feel your property has been incorrectly valued, please call this office at 847-464-4221. We can go over your questions or concerns and make any corrections if necessary. If after talking with us you still feel you are not being assessed fairly, you may file a complaint with the Kane County Board of Review, and request a hearing. Complaint forms may be obtained at the Supervisor of Assessments Office within 30 days from the date of publication in the newspaper for the new assessments. Please remember that this hearing must be regarding the market value of your property for the current assessment year only. It cannot be concerning the taxes you pay or your tax rate.
Illinois law currently provides taxpayers with four homestead exemptions which may reduce the total equalized assessed valuation by the mandated amount for each exemption prior to the computation of the dollar amount of taxes due. The exemptions are as follows:
Homestead Limited Exemption
This exemption will lower the equalized value of the property by a maximum of $6,000. To qualify, you must own and live on the property.
Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption
If you are the owner of a residential property, occupied it prior to January 1st of the assessment year and turned 65 anytime during the assessment year, your equalized value may be reduced by $5,000 of assessed value.
Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze
This exemption freezes applicants qualifying assessed valuation by establishing a base assessment year. This will be used to compute future taxes each year applicant qualifies. This base assessed valuation will be used in computing the amount of taxes. You must file an annual application and meet age (65+), owner, and annual gross income criteria mandated by statute to continue to qualify.
Homestead Improvement Exemption
If you add an assessable improvement or addition to your residence the increase in assessed valuation up to $25,000 may be exempted for up to four (4) years from the date of completion. This request for exemption is initiated by the Township Assessor to the County Supervisor of Assessments.
Returning Veterans Homestead Exemption
Beginning in 2007, under 35 ILCS 200/15-167, a returning veteran may be eligible for exemption that will remove $5,000 of equalized assessed value from their property. Applications are available from the county assessment office and must be made for the year in which the qualifying veteran returns from active duty in an armed conflict. To qualify for the Returning Veterans' Homestead Exemption the veteran must meet the following requirements:
Be an Illinois resident who has served as a member of the U. S. Armed Forces, Illinois National Guard, or U.S. Reserve Forces.
Returning from active duty in an armed conflict involving the armed forces of the United States during the assessment year.
A veteran who dies during his or her active duty service is eligible to receive this exemption.
Owned or had a legal or equitable interest in the property used as the principal place of residence on January 1st of the assessment year.
Must be liable for the payment of the property taxes.
This exemption may be claimed only in the year in which the eligible veteran taxpayer returns from active duty in an armed conflict. If a veteran taxpayer receives this exemption, then is again deployed on active duty in an armed conflict and returns again in a subsequent year, the veteran taxpayer is eligible for this exemption again if the other conditions are met.
Disabled Persons Homestead Exemption
Beginning in 2007, under 35 ILCS 200/15-168, a disabled person may be eligible for an exemption that will remove $2,000 of equalized assessed value from their property. Applications are available from the County Assessment Office and must be filed by the owner of record (or person holding equitable interest) and made each year the taxpayer remains eligible. To qualify for the Disabled Persons Homestead Exemption the taxpayer must be "unable to engage in substantial gainful activity by reason of a medically determinable physical or medical impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months." Evidence that a taxpayer meets this condition includes:
A Class 2 (or 2A) Illinois Disabled Person Identification Card from the Illinois Secretary of State's Office.
Proof of Social Security Administration disability benefits.
Proof of Veterans Administration disability benefits.
Proof of Railroad or Civil Service disability benefits.
An examination by a physician (must meet the same standards as used by the Social Security Administration).
An eligible taxpayer must occupy the property as their primary residence as of January 1st of the assessment year, must be liable for paying the real estate taxes and must be an owner of record or have a legal or equitable interest in the property as evidenced by a written instrument.
A taxpayer may not claim this exemption if they claim the Disabled Veterans Homestead Exemption (35 ILCS 200/15-165) or the Disabled Veterans Standard Homestead Exemption (35 ILCS 200/15-169).
Disabled Veterans' Standard Homestead Exemption
Beginning in 2007, under 35 ILCS 200/15-169, a disabled veteran may be eligible for an exemption that will reduce the assessed value from their property for a veteran with a service-connected disability. Applications are available from the County Assessment Office and must be filed by the owner of record (or person holding equitable interest) and made each year the taxpayer remains eligible. To qualify for the Disabled Veterans' Standard Homestead Exemption the veteran must meet the following requirements:
Be an Illinois resident who has served as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty or state active duty, Illinois National Guard, or U.S. Reserve Forces, and not dishonorably discharged.
Have at least a 30% service-connected disability certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs.
Must be the owner of record and occupy the home as of January 1st of the assessment year.
The property must have a total equalized assessed value of less than $250,000 for the primary residence.
This exemption reduces the equalized assessed value (EAV) by the amount of the exemption. The reduction is as follows:
All EAV from the property (before taxes are calculated) for a veteran with at least a 70% service-connected disability.
$5,000 of EAV from the property (before taxes are calculated) for a veteran with a 50%-69% service-connected disability.
$2,500 of EAV from the property (before taxes are calculated) for a veteran with a 30%-49% service-connected disability.
An unmarried surviving spouse of a disabled veteran may continue to receive this exemption on his or her spouse's homestead property or transfer the exemption to a new primary residence. A taxpayer may not claim this exemption if they claim the Disabled Veterans' Homestead Exemption (35 ILCS 200/15-165) or the Disabled Persons Homestead Exemption (35 ILCS 200/15-168).
As the Assessor my job is to place an Assessment on all properties in Plato Township. An Assessment is “33 1/3% of the fair cash value of property, as determined by the Illinois Department of Revenue sales ratio studies for the 3 most recent years preceding the assessment year.” Please remember that the “fair cash value” does not necessarily mean what your property is worth on today’s market. The value is based on an average of what properties have been selling at for the past three years. This is not the same as an Appraisal, which determines the value of a house based on home sales for the past 6 months to 1 year.
An Assessor does what is called mass appraisal. We look at all homes in an area or neighborhood and assess them all together. Suppose three identical homes were sold in three different years: one homeowner bought their home in 2008 for $350,000, another bought in 2009 for $300,000, and the third bought in 2010 for $250,000. These three homes should be assessed at $300,000, or the average of all three housing prices. This law ensures that people will pay taxes based on uniformity, rather than the ups and downs of the housing market.
For the 2011 assessments we looked at sales that occurred in 2008, 2009, and 2010. These sales are analyzed and compared with their assessed values and their sale cost per square foot. These sales are categorized by story height, size, location, models, and so on. We develop a range of cost per square foot and then make sure all similar homes fall into the same cost per square foot range. By following this method we hope to create a uniform assessment process.
If one home is arbitrarily lowered based on an appraisal that is only looking at 1year or 18 months, or information that is only considering a few sales, then the other surrounding homes would be paying a greater share of the tax burden.
The ultimate purpose of the assessed value is to proportion the tax burden, as established by the taxing bodies, over all property in a fair and equitable manner.
Janet Roush – CIAO
Plato Township Assessor
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