(35 ILCS 200/14-15)
(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 103-662 )
Sec. 14-15. Certificate of error; counties of 3,000,000 or more.
(a) In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, if, after the
assessment is certified pursuant to Section 16-150, but subject to the
limitations of subsection (c) of this Section,
the county assessor discovers an error or mistake in the assessment, the
assessor shall execute a certificate setting forth the nature and cause of the
error. The certificate when endorsed by the county assessor, or when endorsed
by the county assessor and board of appeals (until the first Monday in December
1998 and the board of review beginning the first Monday in December 1998 and
thereafter) where the certificate is executed for any assessment which was the
subject of a complaint filed in the board of appeals (until the first Monday in
December 1998 and the board of review beginning the first Monday in December
1998 and thereafter) for the tax year for which the certificate is issued,
may, either be certified according
to the procedure authorized by this Section or
be presented and received in evidence in any court of competent
jurisdiction.
Certification is authorized, at the discretion of the county assessor, for:
(1) certificates of error allowing homestead exemptions under Article 15; (2) certificates of error on
residential property
of 6 units or less; (3) certificates of error allowing exemption of the
property pursuant to Section 14-25; and (4) other certificates of error
reducing assessed value by less than $100,000. Any certificate of error not
certified shall be presented to the court.
The county assessor shall develop reasonable procedures for the filing and
processing of certificates of error. Prior to the certification or
presentation to the court, the county assessor or his or her designee shall
execute and include in the certificate of error a statement attesting that all
procedural requirements pertaining to the issuance of the certificate of error
have been met and that in fact an error exists.
When so
introduced in evidence such certificate shall become a part of the court
records, and shall not be removed from the files except upon the order of the
court.
Certificates of error that will be presented to the court shall be filed as
an
objection in the application for judgment and order of sale for the year in
relation to which the certificate is made
or as an amendment to the objection
under subsection (b).
Certificates of error that are to be
certified according to the procedure authorized by this Section need not be
presented to the court as an objection or an amendment under subsection
(b). The State's Attorney of the county
in which the property is situated shall mail a copy of any final judgment
entered by the court regarding any certificate of error to the
taxpayer of record for
the year in question.
Any unpaid taxes after the entry of the final judgment by the court or
certification on
certificates issued under this Section may be included in a special tax sale,
provided that an advertisement is published and a notice is mailed to the
person in whose name the taxes were last assessed, in a form and manner
substantially similar to the advertisement and notice required under Sections
21-110 and 21-135. The advertisement and sale shall be subject to all
provisions of law regulating the annual advertisement and sale of delinquent
property, to the extent that those provisions may be made applicable.
A certificate of error certified under this Section shall be given effect by the county treasurer, who shall mark the tax
books and, upon receipt of one of the following certificates from the county assessor
or the county assessor and the board of
review
where the board of review is
required to endorse the certificate of error,
shall issue refunds to the taxpayer accordingly:
"CERTIFICATION
I, .................., county assessor, hereby certify |
| that the Certificates of Error set out on the attached list have been duly issued to correct an error or mistake in the assessment."
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"CERTIFICATION
I, .................., county assessor, and we, |
| ........................................................, members of the board of review, hereby certify that the Certificates of Error set out on the attached list have been duly issued to correct an error or mistake in the assessment and that any certificates of error required to be endorsed by the board of review have been so endorsed."
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The county treasurer has the power to mark the tax books to reflect
the issuance of certificates of error
certified according to
the procedure authorized in this Section for certificates of error issued under
Section 14-25 or certificates of error
issued to and including 3
years after the date on which the annual judgment and order of sale for that
tax year was first entered. The county
treasurer has the power to issue refunds to the taxpayer as set forth
above until all refunds authorized by this Section have been completed.
To the extent that the certificate of error obviates the liability for
nonpayment of taxes, certification of a certificate of error according to the
procedure authorized in this Section shall operate to vacate any judgment or
forfeiture as to that year's taxes, and the warrant books and judgment books
shall be marked to reflect that the judgment or forfeiture has been vacated.
(b) Nothing in subsection (a) of this Section shall be construed to
prohibit the execution, endorsement, issuance, and adjudication of a
certificate of error if (i) the annual judgment and order of sale for the tax
year in question is reopened for further proceedings upon consent of the county
collector and county assessor, represented by the State's Attorney, and (ii) a
new final judgment is subsequently entered pursuant to the certificate. This
subsection (b) shall be construed as declarative of existing law and not as a
new enactment.
(c) No certificate of error, other than a certificate to establish an
exemption under Section 14-25, shall be executed for any tax year more than 3
years after the date on which the annual judgment and order of sale for that
tax year was first entered, except that during calendar years 1999 and 2000 a
certificate of error may
be
executed
for any tax year, provided that the error or mistake in the assessment was
discovered no
more than 3 years after the date on which the annual judgment and order of sale
for that
tax year was first entered.
(d) The time limitation of subsection (c) shall not apply to a certificate
of error correcting an assessment to $1, under Section 10-35, on a parcel that
a subdivision or planned development has acquired by adverse possession, if
during the tax year for which the certificate is executed the subdivision or
planned development used the parcel as common area, as defined in Section
10-35, and if application for the certificate of error is made prior to
December 1, 1997.
(e) The changes made by this amendatory Act of the 91st General
Assembly apply to certificates
of error issued before, on, and after the effective date of this amendatory Act
of the 91st General Assembly.
(Source: P.A. 95-644, eff. 10-12-07.)
(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 103-662 )
Sec. 14-15. Certificate of error; counties of 3,000,000 or more.
(a) In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, if
the county assessor discovers an error or mistake in the assessment after the
assessment is certified pursuant to Section 16-150, the
assessor shall execute a certificate setting forth the nature and cause of the
error, unless any time limitation applying to that certificate of error has expired. The certificate
may either be certified according
to the procedure authorized by this Section or
be presented and received in evidence in any court of competent
jurisdiction, provided that the certificate is endorsed by the county assessor or, if the certificate is executed for an assessment that was the
subject of a complaint filed in the board of review for the tax year for which the certificate is issued, endorsed by the county assessor and the board of review.
Certification is authorized, at the discretion of the county assessor, for:
(1) certificates of error allowing homestead exemptions under Article 15; (2) certificates of error on
residential property
of 6 units or less; (3) certificates of error allowing exemption of the
property pursuant to Section 14-25; and (4) other certificates of error
reducing assessed value by less than $100,000. Any certificate of error not
certified shall be presented to the court.
The county assessor shall develop reasonable procedures for the filing and
processing of certificates of error. Prior to the certification or
presentation to the court, the county assessor or his or her designee shall
execute and include in the certificate of error a statement attesting that all
procedural requirements pertaining to the issuance of the certificate of error
have been met and that in fact an error exists.
When so
introduced in evidence such certificate shall become a part of the court
records, and shall not be removed from the files except upon the order of the
court.
Certificates of error that will be presented to the court shall be filed as
an
objection in the application for judgment and order of sale for the year in
relation to which the certificate is made
or as an amendment to the objection
under subsection (b).
Certificates of error that are to be
certified according to the procedure authorized by this Section need not be
presented to the court as an objection or an amendment under subsection
(b). The State's Attorney of the county
in which the property is situated shall mail a copy of any final judgment
entered by the court regarding any certificate of error to the
taxpayer of record for
the year in question.
Any unpaid taxes after the entry of the final judgment by the court or
certification on
certificates issued under this Section may be included in a special tax sale,
provided that an advertisement is published and a notice is mailed to the
person in whose name the taxes were last assessed, in a form and manner
substantially similar to the advertisement and notice required under Sections
21-110 and 21-135. The advertisement and sale shall be subject to all
provisions of law regulating the annual advertisement and sale of delinquent
property, to the extent that those provisions may be made applicable.
A certificate of error certified under this Section shall be given effect by the county treasurer, who shall mark the tax
books and, upon receipt of one of the following certificates from the county assessor
or the county assessor and the board of
review
where the board of review is
required to endorse the certificate of error,
shall issue refunds to the taxpayer accordingly:
"CERTIFICATION
I, .................., county assessor, hereby certify |
| that the Certificates of Error set out on the attached list have been duly issued to correct an error or mistake in the assessment."
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"CERTIFICATION
I, .................., county assessor, and we, |
| ........................................................, members of the board of review, hereby certify that the Certificates of Error set out on the attached list have been duly issued to correct an error or mistake in the assessment and that any certificates of error required to be endorsed by the board of review have been so endorsed."
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The county treasurer has the power to mark the tax books to reflect
the issuance of certificates of error
certified according to
the procedure authorized in this Section for certificates of error issued under
Section 14-25 or certificates of error
issued to and including 3
years after the date on which the annual judgment and order of sale for that
tax year was first entered. The county
treasurer has the power to issue refunds to the taxpayer as set forth
above until all refunds authorized by this Section have been completed.
To the extent that the certificate of error obviates the liability for
nonpayment of taxes, certification of a certificate of error according to the
procedure authorized in this Section shall operate to vacate any judgment or
forfeiture as to that year's taxes, and the warrant books and judgment books
shall be marked to reflect that the judgment or forfeiture has been vacated.
(b) Nothing in subsection (a) of this Section shall be construed to
prohibit the execution, endorsement, issuance, and adjudication of a
certificate of error if (i) the annual judgment and order of sale for the tax
year in question is reopened for further proceedings upon consent of the county
collector and county assessor, represented by the State's Attorney, and (ii) a
new final judgment is subsequently entered pursuant to the certificate. This
subsection (b) shall be construed as declarative of existing law and not as a
new enactment.
(c) No certificate of error, other than a certificate to establish an
exemption under Section 14-25, shall be executed for any tax year more than 3
years after the date on which the annual judgment and order of sale for that
tax year was first entered, except that during calendar years 1999 and 2000 a
certificate of error may
be
executed
for any tax year, provided that the error or mistake in the assessment was
discovered no
more than 3 years after the date on which the annual judgment and order of sale
for that
tax year was first entered.
(d) The time limitation of subsection (c) shall not apply to a certificate
of error correcting an assessment to $1 under Section 10-35 if,
during the tax year for which the certificate is executed, the subdivision, association, or
planned development used the parcel as common area, as defined in Section
10-35.
(e) The changes made by this amendatory Act of the 91st General
Assembly apply to certificates
of error issued before, on, and after the effective date of this amendatory Act
of the 91st General Assembly.
(f) The changes made by this amendatory Act of the 103rd General
Assembly apply to certificates of error issued on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly for taxable years 2004 or thereafter.
(Source: P.A. 103-662, eff. 1-1-25.)
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(35 ILCS 200/15-35)
Sec. 15-35.
Schools.
All property donated by the United States for school
purposes, and all property of schools, not sold or leased or otherwise used
with a view to profit, is exempt, whether owned by a resident or non-resident
of this State or by a corporation incorporated in any state of the United
States. Also exempt is:
(a) property of schools which is leased to a |
| municipality to be used for municipal purposes on a not-for-profit basis;
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(b) property of schools on which the schools are
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| located and any other property of schools used by the schools exclusively for school purposes, including, but not limited to, student residence halls, dormitories and other housing facilities for students and their spouses and children, staff housing facilities, and school-owned and operated dormitory or residence halls occupied in whole or in part by students who belong to fraternities, sororities, or other campus organizations;
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(c) property donated, granted, received or used for
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| public school, college, theological seminary, university, or other educational purposes, whether held in trust or absolutely;
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(d) in counties with more than 200,000 inhabitants
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| which classify property, property (including interests in land and other facilities) on or adjacent to (even if separated by a public street, alley, sidewalk, parkway or other public way) the grounds of a school, if that property is used by an academic, research or professional society, institute, association or organization which serves the advancement of learning in a field or fields of study taught by the school and which property is not used with a view to profit;
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(e) property owned by a school district. The
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| exemption under this subsection is not affected by any transaction in which, for the purpose of obtaining financing, the school district, directly or indirectly, leases or otherwise transfers the property to another for which or whom property is not exempt and immediately after the lease or transfer enters into a leaseback or other agreement that directly or indirectly gives the school district a right to use, control, and possess the property. In the case of a conveyance of the property, the school district must retain an option to purchase the property at a future date or, within the limitations period for reverters, the property must revert back to the school district.
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(1) If the property has been conveyed as
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| described in this subsection, the property is no longer exempt under this Section as of the date when:
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(A) the right of the school district to use,
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| control, and possess the property is terminated;
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(B) the school district no longer has an
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| option to purchase or otherwise acquire the property; and
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(C) there is no provision for a reverter of
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| the property to the school district within the limitations period for reverters.
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(2) Pursuant to Sections 15-15 and 15-20 of this
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| Code, the school district shall notify the chief county assessment officer of any transaction under this subsection. The chief county assessment officer shall determine initial and continuing compliance with the requirements of this subsection for tax exemption. Failure to notify the chief county assessment officer of a transaction under this subsection or to otherwise comply with the requirements of Sections 15-15 and 15-20 of this Code shall, in the discretion of the chief county assessment officer, constitute cause to terminate the exemption, notwithstanding any other provision of this Code.
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(3) No provision of this subsection shall be
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| construed to affect the obligation of the school district to which an exemption certificate has been issued under this Section from its obligation under Section 15-10 of this Code to file an annual certificate of status or to notify the chief county assessment officer of transfers of interest or other changes in the status of the property as required by this Code.
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(4) The changes made by this amendatory Act of
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| the 91st General Assembly are declarative of existing law and shall not be construed as a new enactment; and
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(f) in counties with more than 200,000 inhabitants
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| which classify property, property of a corporation, which is an exempt entity under paragraph (3) of Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code or its successor law, used by the corporation for the following purposes: (1) conducting continuing education for professional development of personnel in energy-related industries; (2) maintaining a library of energy technology information available to students and the public free of charge; and (3) conducting research in energy and environment, which research results could be ultimately accessible to persons involved in education.
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(Source: P.A. 91-513, eff. 8-13-99; 91-578, eff.
8-14-99; 92-16, eff. 6-28-01.)
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(35 ILCS 200/15-55)
Sec. 15-55. State property.
(a) All property belonging to the State of Illinois
is exempt. However, the State agency holding title shall file the certificate
of ownership and use required by Section 15-10, together with a copy of any
written lease or agreement, in effect on March 30 of the assessment year,
concerning parcels of 1 acre or more, or an explanation of the terms of any
oral agreement under which the property is leased, subleased or rented.
The leased property shall be assessed to the lessee and the taxes thereon
extended and billed to the lessee, and collected in the same manner as
for property which is not exempt. The lessee shall be liable
for the taxes and no lien shall attach to the property of the State.
For the purposes of this Section, the word "leases" includes
licenses, franchises, operating agreements and other arrangements under which
private individuals, associations or corporations are granted the right to use
property of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority and includes all property
of the Authority used by others without regard to the size of the leased
parcel.
(b) However, all property of every kind belonging to the State of
Illinois, which
is or may hereafter be leased to the Illinois Prairie Path Corporation, shall
be exempt from all assessments, taxation or collection, despite the making of
any such lease, if it is used for:
(1) conservation, nature trail or any other |
| charitable, scientific, educational or recreational purposes with public benefit, including the preserving and aiding in the preservation of natural areas, objects, flora, fauna or biotic communities;
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(2) the establishment of footpaths, trails and other
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(3) the conservation of the proper use of natural
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| resources or the promotion of the study of plant and animal communities and of other phases of ecology, natural history and conservation;
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(4) the promotion of education in the fields of
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| nature, preservation and conservation; or
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(5) similar public recreational activities conducted
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| by the Illinois Prairie Path Corporation.
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No lien shall attach to the property of the State. No tax liability shall
become the obligation of or be enforceable against Illinois Prairie Path
Corporation.
(c) If the State sells the
James R.
Thompson Center
or the Elgin Mental Health Center and surrounding land located at 750 S.
State Street,
Elgin, Illinois, as provided in subdivision (a)(2) of Section 7.4 of
the State Property Control Act,
to
another entity whose property is not exempt and immediately thereafter enters
into a
leaseback or other agreement that directly or indirectly gives the State a
right to use,
control, and possess the property, that portion of the property leased and
occupied exclusively by the State shall remain exempt under this
Section.
For the property to remain exempt under this subsection (c), the State must
retain an
option to purchase the property at a future date or, within the limitations
period for
reverters, the property must revert back to the State.
If the property has been conveyed as described in this subsection (c), the
property
is no longer exempt pursuant to this Section as of the date when:
(1) the right of the State to use, control, and
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| possess the property has been terminated; or
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(2) the State no longer has an option to purchase or
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| otherwise acquire the property and there is no provision for a reverter of the property to the State within the limitations period for reverters.
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Pursuant to Sections 15-15 and 15-20 of this Code, the State shall notify the
chief
county assessment officer of any transaction under this subsection (c). The
chief county
assessment officer shall determine initial and continuing compliance with the
requirements of this Section for tax exemption. Failure to notify the chief
county
assessment officer of a transaction under this subsection (c) or to otherwise
comply with
the requirements of Sections 15-15 and 15-20 of this Code shall, in the
discretion of the
chief county assessment officer, constitute cause to terminate the exemption,
notwithstanding any other provision of this Code.
(c-1) If the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority sells the
Illinois State Toll Highway Authority headquarters building and surrounding
land,
located at 2700 Ogden Avenue, Downers Grove, Illinois
as provided in subdivision (a)(2) of Section 7.5 of
the State Property Control Act,
to
another entity whose property is not exempt and immediately thereafter enters
into a
leaseback or other agreement that directly or indirectly gives the State or the
Illinois State Toll Highway Authority a
right to use,
control, and possess the property, that portion of the property leased and
occupied exclusively by the State or the Authority shall remain exempt under
this
Section.
For the property to remain exempt under this subsection (c), the Authority must
retain an
option to purchase the property at a future date or, within the limitations
period for
reverters, the property must revert back to the Authority.
If the property has been conveyed as described in this subsection (c), the
property
is no longer exempt pursuant to this Section as of the date when:
(1) the right of the State or the Authority to use,
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| control, and possess the property has been terminated; or
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(2) the Authority no longer has an option to purchase
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| or otherwise acquire the property and there is no provision for a reverter of the property to the Authority within the limitations period for reverters.
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Pursuant to Sections 15-15 and 15-20 of this Code, the Authority
shall notify the
chief
county assessment officer of any transaction under this subsection (c). The
chief county
assessment officer shall determine initial and continuing compliance with the
requirements of this Section for tax exemption. Failure to notify the chief
county
assessment officer of a transaction under this subsection (c) or to otherwise
comply with
the requirements of Sections 15-15 and 15-20 of this Code shall, in the
discretion of the
chief county assessment officer, constitute cause to terminate the exemption,
notwithstanding any other provision of this Code.
(d) For tax years prior to 2019, the fair market rent of each parcel of real property in Will
County owned by the State of Illinois for the purpose of developing an airport
by the Department of Transportation shall include the assessed value of
leasehold tax. The lessee of each parcel of real property in Will
County owned by
the
State of Illinois for the purpose of developing an airport by the Department of
Transportation shall not be liable for the taxes thereon. In order for the
State to
compensate taxing districts for
the loss of revenue under this paragraph,
the Will County Supervisor of Assessments shall
annually certify, in
writing, to the
Department of Transportation, the following amounts: (1) for tax years prior to 2019, the amount of leasehold taxes
extended for the 2002 property tax
year for
each such exempt parcel; and (2) for tax years 2019 through 2030, the amount of taxes that would have been extended for the current tax year for each such exempt parcel if those parcels had been owned by a person whose property is not exempt.
The Department of Transportation shall pay to the Will
County
Treasurer, from the Tax Recovery Fund, on or before July 1 of each
year, the amount certified
by the Will County Supervisor of Assessments. The tax compensation shall
terminate
on
December 31, 2030. It is the duty of the Department of Transportation to file
with the
Office of the Will County Supervisor of Assessments an affidavit stating the
termination
date for rental of each such parcel due to airport construction. The affidavit
shall include
the property identification number for each such parcel. In no instance shall
tax
compensation for property owned by the State be deemed delinquent or bear
interest. In
no instance shall a lien attach to the property of the State. In no instance
shall the State
be required to pay compensation under this subsection in excess of the lesser of (i) the Tax
Recovery Fund's balance or (ii) $600,000 in any tax year.
(e) Public Act 81-1026 applies to all leases or agreements entered into
or
renewed on or after September 24, 1979.
(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Code, all property owned by the State that is the Illiana Expressway, as defined in the Public Private Agreements for the Illiana Expressway Act, and that is used for transportation purposes and that is leased for those purposes to another entity whose property is not exempt shall remain exempt, and any leasehold interest in the property shall not be subject to taxation under Section 9-195 of this Act.
(g) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section, all property owned by the State or the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority that is defined as a transportation project under the Public-Private Partnerships for Transportation Act and that is used for transportation purposes and that is leased for those purposes to another entity whose property is not exempt shall remain exempt, and any leasehold interest in the property shall not be subject to taxation under Section 9-195 of this Act.
(h) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Code, all property owned by the State that is the South Suburban Airport, as defined in the Public-Private Agreements for the South Suburban Airport Act, and that is used for airport purposes and that is leased for those purposes to another entity whose property is not exempt shall remain exempt, and any leasehold interest in the property shall not be subject to taxation under Section 9-195 of this Act.
(Source: P.A. 101-532, eff. 8-23-19.)
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(35 ILCS 200/15-60)
Sec. 15-60. Taxing district property. All property belonging to any county
or municipality used exclusively for the maintenance of the poor is exempt,
as is all property owned by a taxing district that is being held for future
expansion or development, except if leased by the taxing district to lessees
for use for other than public purposes.
Also exempt are:
(a) all swamp or overflowed lands belonging to any |
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(b) all public buildings belonging to any county,
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| township, or municipality, with the ground on which the buildings are erected;
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(c) all property owned by any municipality located
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| within its incorporated limits. Any such property leased by a municipality shall remain exempt, and the leasehold interest of the lessee shall be assessed under Section 9-195 of this Act, (i) for a lease entered into on or after January 1, 1994, unless the lease expressly provides that this exemption shall not apply; (ii) for a lease entered into on or after the effective date of Public Act 87-1280 and before January 1, 1994, unless the lease expressly provides that this exemption shall not apply or unless evidence other than the lease itself substantiates the intent of the parties to the lease that this exemption shall not apply; and (iii) for a lease entered into before the effective date of Public Act 87-1280, if the terms of the lease do not bind the lessee to pay the taxes on the leased property or if, notwithstanding the terms of the lease, the municipality has filed or hereafter files a timely exemption petition or complaint with respect to property consisting of or including the leased property for an assessment year which includes part or all of the first 12 months of the lease period. The foregoing clause (iii) added by Public Act 87-1280 shall not operate to exempt property for any assessment year as to which no timely exemption petition or complaint has been filed by the municipality or as to which an administrative or court decision denying exemption has become final and nonappealable. For each assessment year or portion thereof that property is made exempt by operation of the foregoing clause (iii), whether such year or portion is before or after the effective date of Public Act 87-1280, the leasehold interest of the lessee shall, if necessary, be considered omitted property for purposes of this Act;
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(c-5) Notwithstanding clause (i) of subsection (c),
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| or any other law to the contrary, for a municipality with a population over 100,000, all property owned by the municipality, or property interests or rights held by the municipality, regardless of whether such property, interests, or rights are, in whole or in part, within or without its corporate limits, that is used for toll road or toll bridge purposes and that is leased or licensed for those purposes to another entity whose property or property interests or rights are not exempt shall remain exempt, and any leasehold interest in such property, interest, or rights shall not be subject to taxation under Section 9-195 of this Code;
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(d) all property owned by any municipality located
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| outside its incorporated limits but within the same county when used as a tuberculosis sanitarium, farm colony in connection with a house of correction, or nursery, garden, or farm, or for the growing of shrubs, trees, flowers, vegetables, and plants for use in beautifying, maintaining, and operating playgrounds, parks, parkways, public grounds, buildings, and institutions owned or controlled by the municipality;
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(e) all property owned by a township and operated as
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| senior citizen housing under Sections 35-50 through 35-50.6 of the Township Code; and
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(f) all property owned by the Executive Board of the
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| Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), a unit of intergovernmental cooperation, that is used for the public purpose of disaster preparedness and response for units of local government and the State of Illinois pursuant to Section 10 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution and the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act.
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All property owned by any municipality outside of its corporate limits is
exempt if used exclusively for municipal or public purposes.
For purposes of this Section, "municipality" means a municipality, as
defined in Section 1-1-2 of the Illinois Municipal Code.
(Source: P.A. 101-398, eff. 8-16-19.)
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(35 ILCS 200/15-65)
Sec. 15-65. Charitable purposes. All property of the following is exempt
when actually and exclusively used for charitable or beneficent purposes, and
not leased or otherwise used with a view to profit:
(a) Institutions of public charity.
(b) Beneficent and charitable organizations |
| incorporated in any state of the United States, including organizations whose owner, and no other person, uses the property exclusively for the distribution, sale, or resale of donated goods and related activities and uses all the income from those activities to support the charitable, religious or beneficent activities of the owner, whether or not such activities occur on the property.
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(c) Old people's homes, facilities for persons with a
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| developmental disability, and not-for-profit organizations providing services or facilities related to the goals of educational, social and physical development, if, upon making application for the exemption, the applicant provides affirmative evidence that the home or facility or organization is an exempt organization under paragraph (3) of Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code or its successor, and either: (i) the bylaws of the home or facility or not-for-profit organization provide for a waiver or reduction, based on an individual's ability to pay, of any entrance fee, assignment of assets, or fee for services, or (ii) the home or facility is qualified, built or financed under Section 202 of the National Housing Act of 1959, as amended.
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An applicant that has been granted an exemption under
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| this subsection on the basis that its bylaws provide for a waiver or reduction, based on an individual's ability to pay, of any entrance fee, assignment of assets, or fee for services may be periodically reviewed by the Department to determine if the waiver or reduction was a past policy or is a current policy. The Department may revoke the exemption if it finds that the policy for waiver or reduction is no longer current.
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If a not-for-profit organization leases property that
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| is otherwise exempt under this subsection to an organization that conducts an activity on the leased premises that would entitle the lessee to an exemption from real estate taxes if the lessee were the owner of the property, then the leased property is exempt.
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(d) Not-for-profit health maintenance organizations
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| certified by the Director of the Illinois Department of Insurance under the Health Maintenance Organization Act, including any health maintenance organization that provides services to members at prepaid rates approved by the Illinois Department of Insurance if the membership of the organization is sufficiently large or of indefinite classes so that the community is benefited by its operation. No exemption shall apply to any hospital or health maintenance organization which has been adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction to have denied admission to any person because of race, color, creed, sex or national origin.
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(e) All free public libraries.
(f) Historical societies.
Property otherwise qualifying for an exemption under this Section shall not
lose its exemption because the legal title is held (i) by an entity that is
organized solely to hold that title and that qualifies under paragraph (2) of
Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code or its successor, whether or not
that entity receives rent from the charitable organization for the repair and
maintenance of the property, (ii) by an entity that is organized as
a
partnership or limited liability company, in which the charitable organization, or an affiliate or
subsidiary of the charitable organization, is a general partner of the partnership or managing member of the limited liability company, for the
purposes of owning and operating a residential rental property that has
received an allocation of Low Income Housing Tax Credits for 100%
of the dwelling units under Section 42 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended, or (iii) for any assessment year including and subsequent to
January 1, 1996 for which an application for exemption has been filed and a
decision on which has not become final and nonappealable, by a limited
liability company organized under the Limited Liability Company Act provided
that (A) the limited liability
company's sole member or
members, as that term is used in Section 1-5 of the Limited Liability Company
Act, are the institutions of public charity that actually and exclusively use
the property for charitable and beneficent purposes; (B) the limited liability company is a disregarded entity for federal and Illinois income tax purposes and, as a result, the limited liability company is deemed exempt from income tax liability by virtue of the Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) status of its sole member or members; and (C) the limited
liability company does not lease the property or otherwise use it with a view
to profit.
(Source: P.A. 96-763, eff. 8-25-09.)
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(35 ILCS 200/15-86) Sec. 15-86. Exemptions related to access to hospital and health care services by low-income and underserved individuals. (a) The General Assembly finds: (1) Despite the Supreme Court's decision in Provena Covenant Medical Center v. Dept. of Revenue , 236 |
| Ill.2d 368, there is considerable uncertainty surrounding the test for charitable property tax exemption, especially regarding the application of a quantitative or monetary threshold. In Provena , the Department stated that the primary basis for its decision was the hospital's inadequate amount of charitable activity, but the Department has not articulated what constitutes an adequate amount of charitable activity. After Provena , the Department denied property tax exemption applications of 3 more hospitals, and, on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, at least 20 other hospitals are awaiting rulings on applications for property tax exemption.
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(2) In Provena , two Illinois Supreme Court justices opined
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| that "setting a monetary or quantum standard is a complex decision which should be left to our legislature, should it so choose". The Appellate Court in Provena stated: "The language we use in the State of Illinois to determine whether real property is used for a charitable purpose has its genesis in our 1870 Constitution. It is obvious that such language may be difficult to apply to the modern face of our nation's health care delivery systems". The court noted the many significant changes in the health care system since that time, but concluded that taking these changes into account is a matter of public policy, and "it is the legislature's job, not ours, to make public policy".
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(3) It is essential to ensure that tax exemption law
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| relating to hospitals accounts for the complexities of the modern health care delivery system. Health care is moving beyond the walls of the hospital. In addition to treating individual patients, hospitals are assuming responsibility for improving the health status of communities and populations. Low-income and underserved communities benefit disproportionately by these activities.
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(4) The Supreme Court has explained that: "the
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| fundamental ground upon which all exemptions in favor of charitable institutions are based is the benefit conferred upon the public by them, and a consequent relief, to some extent, of the burden upon the state to care for and advance the interests of its citizens". Hospitals relieve the burden of government in many ways, but most significantly through their participation in and substantial financial subsidization of the Illinois Medicaid program, which could not operate without the participation and partnership of Illinois hospitals.
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(5) Working with the Illinois hospital community and
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| other interested parties, the General Assembly has developed a comprehensive combination of related legislation that addresses hospital property tax exemption, significantly increases access to free health care for indigent persons, and strengthens the Medical Assistance program. It is the intent of the General Assembly to establish a new category of ownership for charitable property tax exemption to be applied to not-for-profit hospitals and hospital affiliates in lieu of the existing ownership category of "institutions of public charity". It is also the intent of the General Assembly to establish quantifiable standards for the issuance of charitable exemptions for such property. It is not the intent of the General Assembly to declare any property exempt ipso facto, but rather to establish criteria to be applied to the facts on a case-by-case basis.
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(b) For the purpose of this Section and Section 15-10, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
(1) "Hospital" means any institution, place,
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| building, buildings on a campus, or other health care facility located in Illinois that is licensed under the Hospital Licensing Act and has a hospital owner.
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(2) "Hospital owner" means a not-for-profit
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| corporation that is the titleholder of a hospital, or the owner of the beneficial interest in an Illinois land trust that is the titleholder of a hospital.
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(3) "Hospital affiliate" means any corporation,
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| partnership, limited partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, association or other organization, other than a hospital owner, that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with one or more hospital owners and that supports, is supported by, or acts in furtherance of the exempt health care purposes of at least one of those hospital owners' hospitals.
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(4) "Hospital system" means a hospital and one or
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| more other hospitals or hospital affiliates related by common control or ownership.
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(5) "Control" relating to hospital owners, hospital
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| affiliates, or hospital systems means possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of the entity, whether through ownership of assets, membership interest, other voting or governance rights, by contract or otherwise.
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(6) "Hospital applicant" means a hospital owner or
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| hospital affiliate that files an application for a property tax exemption pursuant to Section 15-5 and this Section.
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(7) "Relevant hospital entity" means (A) the hospital
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| owner, in the case of a hospital applicant that is a hospital owner, and (B) at the election of a hospital applicant that is a hospital affiliate, either (i) the hospital affiliate or (ii) the hospital system to which the hospital applicant belongs, including any hospitals or hospital affiliates that are related by common control or ownership.
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(8) "Subject property" means property for which a
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| hospital applicant files an application for an exemption pursuant to Section 15-5 and this Section.
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(9) "Hospital year" means the fiscal year of the
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| relevant hospital entity, or the fiscal year of one of the hospital owners in the hospital system if the relevant hospital entity is a hospital system with members with different fiscal years, that ends in the year for which the exemption is sought.
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(c) A hospital applicant satisfies the conditions for an exemption under this Section with respect to the subject property, and shall be issued a charitable exemption for that property, if the value of services or activities listed in subsection (e) for the hospital year equals or exceeds the relevant hospital entity's estimated property tax liability, as determined under subsection (g), for the year for which exemption is sought. For purposes of making the calculations required by this subsection (c), if the relevant hospital entity is a hospital owner that owns more than one hospital, the value of the services or activities listed in subsection (e) shall be calculated on the basis of only those services and activities relating to the hospital that includes the subject property, and the relevant hospital entity's estimated property tax liability shall be calculated only with respect to the properties comprising that hospital. In the case of a multi-state hospital system or hospital affiliate, the value of the services or activities listed in subsection (e) shall be calculated on the basis of only those services and activities that occur in Illinois and the relevant hospital entity's estimated property tax liability shall be calculated only with respect to its property located in Illinois.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, any parcel or portion thereof, that is owned by a for-profit entity whether part of the hospital system or not, or that is leased, licensed or operated by a for-profit entity regardless of whether healthcare services are provided on that parcel shall not qualify for exemption. If a parcel has both exempt and non-exempt uses, an exemption may be granted for the qualifying portion of that parcel. In the case of parking lots and common areas serving both exempt and non-exempt uses those parcels or portions thereof may qualify for an exemption in proportion to the amount of qualifying use.
(d) The hospital applicant shall include information in its exemption application establishing that it satisfies the requirements of subsection (c). For purposes of making the calculations required by subsection (c), the hospital applicant may for each year elect to use either (1) the value of the services or activities listed in subsection (e) for the hospital year or (2) the average value of those services or activities for the 3 fiscal years ending with the hospital year. If the relevant hospital entity has been in operation for less than 3 completed fiscal years, then the latter calculation, if elected, shall be performed on a pro rata basis.
(e) Services that address the health care needs of low-income or underserved individuals or relieve the burden of government with regard to health care services. The following services and activities shall be considered for purposes of making the calculations required by subsection (c):
(1) Charity care. Free or discounted services
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| provided pursuant to the relevant hospital entity's financial assistance policy, measured at cost, including discounts provided under the Hospital Uninsured Patient Discount Act.
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(2) Health services to low-income and underserved
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| individuals. Other unreimbursed costs of the relevant hospital entity for providing without charge, paying for, or subsidizing goods, activities, or services for the purpose of addressing the health of low-income or underserved individuals. Those activities or services may include, but are not limited to: financial or in-kind support to affiliated or unaffiliated hospitals, hospital affiliates, community clinics, or programs that treat low-income or underserved individuals; paying for or subsidizing health care professionals who care for low-income or underserved individuals; providing or subsidizing outreach or educational services to low-income or underserved individuals for disease management and prevention; free or subsidized goods, supplies, or services needed by low-income or underserved individuals because of their medical condition; and prenatal or childbirth outreach to low-income or underserved persons.
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(3) Subsidy of State or local governments. Direct or
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| indirect financial or in-kind subsidies of State or local governments by the relevant hospital entity that pay for or subsidize activities or programs related to health care for low-income or underserved individuals.
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(4) Support for State health care programs for
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| low-income individuals. At the election of the hospital applicant for each applicable year, either (A) 10% of payments to the relevant hospital entity and any hospital affiliate designated by the relevant hospital entity (provided that such hospital affiliate's operations provide financial or operational support for or receive financial or operational support from the relevant hospital entity) under Medicaid or other means-tested programs, including, but not limited to, General Assistance, the Covering ALL KIDS Health Insurance Act, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program or (B) the amount of subsidy provided by the relevant hospital entity and any hospital affiliate designated by the relevant hospital entity (provided that such hospital affiliate's operations provide financial or operational support for or receive financial or operational support from the relevant hospital entity) to State or local government in treating Medicaid recipients and recipients of means-tested programs, including but not limited to General Assistance, the Covering ALL KIDS Health Insurance Act, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program. The amount of subsidy for purposes of this item (4) is calculated in the same manner as unreimbursed costs are calculated for Medicaid and other means-tested government programs in the Schedule H of IRS Form 990 in effect on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly; provided, however, that in any event unreimbursed costs shall be net of fee-for-services payments, payments pursuant to an assessment, quarterly payments, and all other payments included on the schedule H of the IRS form 990.
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(5) Dual-eligible subsidy. The amount of subsidy
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| provided to government by treating dual-eligible Medicare/Medicaid patients. The amount of subsidy for purposes of this item (5) is calculated by multiplying the relevant hospital entity's unreimbursed costs for Medicare, calculated in the same manner as determined in the Schedule H of IRS Form 990 in effect on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, by the relevant hospital entity's ratio of dual-eligible patients to total Medicare patients.
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(6) Relief of the burden of government related to
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| health care of low-income individuals. Except to the extent otherwise taken into account in this subsection, the portion of unreimbursed costs of the relevant hospital entity attributable to providing, paying for, or subsidizing goods, activities, or services that relieve the burden of government related to health care for low-income individuals. Such activities or services shall include, but are not limited to, providing emergency, trauma, burn, neonatal, psychiatric, rehabilitation, or other special services; providing medical education; and conducting medical research or training of health care professionals. The portion of those unreimbursed costs attributable to benefiting low-income individuals shall be determined using the ratio calculated by adding the relevant hospital entity's costs attributable to charity care, Medicaid, other means-tested government programs, Medicare patients with disabilities under age 65, and dual-eligible Medicare/Medicaid patients and dividing that total by the relevant hospital entity's total costs. Such costs for the numerator and denominator shall be determined by multiplying gross charges by the cost to charge ratio taken from the hospitals' most recently filed Medicare cost report (CMS 2252-10 Worksheet C, Part I). In the case of emergency services, the ratio shall be calculated using costs (gross charges multiplied by the cost to charge ratio taken from the hospitals' most recently filed Medicare cost report (CMS 2252-10 Worksheet C, Part I)) of patients treated in the relevant hospital entity's emergency department.
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(7) Any other activity by the relevant hospital
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| entity that the Department determines relieves the burden of government or addresses the health of low-income or underserved individuals.
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(f) For purposes of making the calculations required by subsections (c) and (e):
(1) particular services or activities eligible for
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| consideration under any of the paragraphs (1) through (7) of subsection (e) may not be counted under more than one of those paragraphs; and
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(2) the amount of unreimbursed costs and the amount
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| of subsidy shall not be reduced by restricted or unrestricted payments received by the relevant hospital entity as contributions deductible under Section 170(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
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(g) Estimation of Exempt Property Tax Liability. The estimated property tax liability used for the determination in subsection (c) shall be calculated as follows:
(1) "Estimated property tax liability" means the
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| estimated dollar amount of property tax that would be owed, with respect to the exempt portion of each of the relevant hospital entity's properties that are already fully or partially exempt, or for which an exemption in whole or in part is currently being sought, and then aggregated as applicable, as if the exempt portion of those properties were subject to tax, calculated with respect to each such property by multiplying:
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(A) the lesser of (i) the actual assessed value,
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| if any, of the portion of the property for which an exemption is sought or (ii) an estimated assessed value of the exempt portion of such property as determined in item (2) of this subsection (g), by:
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(B) the applicable State equalization rate
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| (yielding the equalized assessed value), by
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(C) the applicable tax rate.
(2) The estimated assessed value of the exempt
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| portion of the property equals the sum of (i) the estimated fair market value of buildings on the property, as determined in accordance with subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this item (2), multiplied by the applicable assessment factor, and (ii) the estimated assessed value of the land portion of the property, as determined in accordance with subparagraph (C).
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(A) The "estimated fair market value of buildings
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| on the property" means the replacement value of any exempt portion of buildings on the property, minus depreciation, determined utilizing the cost replacement method whereby the exempt square footage of all such buildings is multiplied by the replacement cost per square foot for Class A Average building found in the most recent edition of the Marshall & Swift Valuation Services Manual, adjusted by any appropriate current cost and local multipliers.
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(B) Depreciation, for purposes of calculating the
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| estimated fair market value of buildings on the property, is applied by utilizing a weighted mean life for the buildings based on original construction and assuming a 40-year life for hospital buildings and the applicable life for other types of buildings as specified in the American Hospital Association publication "Estimated Useful Lives of Depreciable Hospital Assets". In the case of hospital buildings, the remaining life is divided by 40 and this ratio is multiplied by the replacement cost of the buildings to obtain an estimated fair market value of buildings. If a hospital building is older than 35 years, a remaining life of 5 years for residual value is assumed; and if a building is less than 8 years old, a remaining life of 32 years is assumed.
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(C) The estimated assessed value of the land
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| portion of the property shall be determined by multiplying (i) the per square foot average of the assessed values of three parcels of land (not including farm land, and excluding the assessed value of the improvements thereon) reasonably comparable to the property, by (ii) the number of square feet comprising the exempt portion of the property's land square footage.
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(3) The assessment factor, State equalization rate,
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| and tax rate (including any special factors such as Enterprise Zones) used in calculating the estimated property tax liability shall be for the most recent year that is publicly available from the applicable chief county assessment officer or officers at least 90 days before the end of the hospital year.
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(4) The method utilized to calculate estimated
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| property tax liability for purposes of this Section 15-86 shall not be utilized for the actual valuation, assessment, or taxation of property pursuant to the Property Tax Code.
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(h) Application. Each hospital applicant applying for a property tax exemption pursuant to Section 15-5 and this Section shall use an application form provided by the Department. The application form shall specify the records required in support of the application and those records shall be submitted to the Department with the application form. Each application or affidavit shall contain a verification by the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital applicant under oath or affirmation stating that each statement in the application or affidavit and each document submitted with the application or affidavit are true and correct. The records submitted with the application pursuant to this Section shall include an exhibit prepared by the relevant hospital entity showing (A) the value of the relevant hospital entity's services and activities, if any, under paragraphs (1) through (7) of subsection (e) of this Section stated separately for each paragraph, and (B) the value relating to the relevant hospital entity's estimated property tax liability under subsections (g)(1)(A), (B), and (C), subsections (g)(2)(A), (B), and (C), and subsection (g)(3) of this Section stated separately for each item. Such exhibit will be made available to the public by the chief county assessment officer. Nothing in this Section shall be construed as limiting the Attorney General's authority under the Illinois False Claims Act.
(i) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to limit the ability of otherwise eligible hospitals, hospital owners, hospital affiliates, or hospital systems to obtain or maintain property tax exemptions pursuant to a provision of the Property Tax Code other than this Section.
(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)
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