Chicagoans from the city's West and South Sides are speaking out against steep property tax hikes, with concerns that the increases will force them out of their homes. An emergency town hall meeting organized by faith leaders drew more than 300 residents, where many demanded immediate relief from the financial squeeze. "My tax bill is still $1,600 over what it was last year. What about us?" West Garfield Park resident Dorothy Rosenthal told WGN-TV.
Alderman Monique Scott of the 24th Ward lamented the toll that rising property taxes are taking on homeowners. "Many of you sitting right here could lose your home in the next year or two, and I can’t stand for that. I’m sorry," Scott said at the meeting. A report from the Cook County Treasurer’s Office indicates a record rise of 16.7% in median residential bills across Chicago. However, neighborhoods on the South and West Sides are experiencing the most significant spikes, with areas like West Garfield Park seeing a 133% increase.
At the crux of the issue is a tax burden shift from Chicago's downtown, known as the Loop, to residential neighborhoods, disproportionately affecting predominantly Black neighborhoods. According to an analysis by The Chicago Sun-Times, this shift is exacerbated by reductions in property taxes granted to large commercial properties by the Board of Review. Meanwhile, residents like Tonya Reed are left grappling with property tax bills that more than doubled in a year – from about $5,100 to roughly $11,000 – causing her monthly mortgage payment to surge significantly.
Residents have begun to push back, rallying against higher bills and a system they see as flawed. "We ain’t moving, we’re not leaving, and we’re not scared," North Lawndale resident Tracy Jones expressed to WGN-TV. "We are going to fight, fight, fight." Compounding their frustration, many struggled to believe the justifications for increased property values, given the persistent issues plaguing their communities, such as the extensive flooding experienced by Rosenthal, which left her home damaged and devalued in her eyes.
The community meeting hosted by Fritz Kaegi's office at New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church in West Garfield Park was an opportunity for residents to seek tax exemptions and appeal their tax bills. Reed, who faces a daunting hike in her property tax bill, filed an appeal during the event. As the deadline for the reopened appeal period for 24 townships nears, residents like Reed hope for reassessment and relief, yet skepticism remains. "Until they reassess it, then nothing’s going to happen, because for those of us who don’t have any exemptions left, we are still stuck with $1,600 additional, and your sympathy doesn’t pay that," Rosenthal explained to The Chicago Sun-Times.
