35 ILCS 200/ Property Tax Code.

(35 ILCS 200/Art. 2 heading) Article 2. Township Assessment Officials

(35 ILCS 200/2-5)

Sec. 2-5. Multi-township assessors. Townships with less than 1,000 inhabitants shall not elect assessors for each township but shall elect multi-township assessors.

(1) If 2 or more townships with less than 1,000 inhabitants are contiguous, one multi-township assessor shall be elected to assess the property in as many of the townships as are contiguous and whose combined population is 1,000 or more inhabitants.

(2) If any township of less than 1,000 inhabitants is not contiguous to another township of less than 1,000 inhabitants, one multi-township assessor shall be elected to assess the property of that township and any other township to which it is contiguous.

(Source: P.A. 87-818; 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/2-10)

Sec. 2-10. Mandatory establishment of multi-township assessment districts. Before August 1, 2002 and every 10 years thereafter, the supervisor of assessments shall prepare maps, by county, of the townships, indicating the number of inhabitants and the equalized assessed valuation of each township for the preceding year, within the counties under township organization, and shall distribute a copy of that map to the county board and to each township supervisor, board of trustees, sitting township or multi-township assessor, and to the Department. The map shall contain suggested multi-township assessment districts for purposes of assessment. Upon receipt of the maps, the boards of trustees shall determine separately, by majority vote, if the suggested multi-township districts are acceptable.

The township boards of trustees may meet as a body to discuss the suggested districts of which they would be a part. Upon request of the township supervisor of any township, the township supervisor of the township containing the most population shall call the meeting, designating the time and place, and shall act as temporary chairperson of the meeting until a permanent chairperson is chosen from among the township officials included in the call to the meeting. The township assessors and supervisor of assessments may participate in the meeting. Notice of the meeting shall be given in the same manner as notice is required for township meetings in the Township Code. The meeting shall be open to the public and may be recessed from time to time.

If a multi-township assessment district is not acceptable to any board of trustees, they shall so determine and further determine an alternative multi-township assessment district. The suggested or alternative multi-township assessment district shall contain at least 2 townships and 1,000 or more inhabitants, shall contain no less than the total area of any one township, shall be contiguous to at least one other township in the multi-township assessment district, and shall be located within one county. For purposes of this Section only, townships are contiguous if they share a common boundary line or meet at any point. This amendatory Act of 1996 is not a new enactment, but is declarative of existing law.

Before September 15, 2002 and every 10 years thereafter, the respective boards of town trustees shall notify the supervisor of assessments and the Department whether they have accepted the suggested multi-township assessment district or whether they have adopted an alternative district, and, in the latter case, they shall include in the notification a description or map, by township, of the alternative district. Before October 1, 2002 and every 10 years thereafter, the supervisor of assessments shall determine whether any suggested or alternative multi-township assessment district meets the conditions of this Section and Section 2-5. If any township board of trustees fails to so notify the supervisor of assessments and the Department as provided in this Section, the township shall be part of the original suggested multi-township assessment district. In any dispute between 2 or more townships as to inclusion or exclusion of a township in any one multi-township assessment district, the county board shall hold a public hearing in the county seat and, as soon as practicable thereafter, make a final determination as to the composition of the district. It shall notify the Department of the final determination before November 15, 2002 and every 10 years thereafter. The Department shall promulgate the multi-township assessment districts, file the same with the Secretary of State as provided in the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act and so notify the township supervisors, boards of trustees and county clerks of the townships and counties subject to this Section and Section 2-5. If the Department's promulgation removes a township from a prior multi-township assessment district, that township shall, within 30 days after the effective date of the removal, receive a distribution of a portion of the assets of the prior multi-township assessment district according to the ratio of the total equalized assessed valuation of all the taxable property in the township to the total equalized assessed valuation of all the taxable property in the prior multi-township assessment district. If a township is removed from one multi-township assessment district and made a part of another multi-township assessment district, the district from which the township is removed shall, within 30 days after the effective date of the removal, cause the township's distribution under this paragraph to be paid directly to the district of which the township is made a part. A township receiving such a distribution (or a multi-township assessment district receiving such a distribution on behalf of a township that is made a part of that district) shall use the proceeds from the distribution only in connection with assessing real estate in the township for tax purposes.

(Source: P.A. 88-455; incorporates 88-221; 88-670, eff. 12-2-94; 89-502, eff. 6-28-96; 89-695, eff. 12-31-96.)

(35 ILCS 200/2-15)

Sec. 2-15. Voluntary establishment of multi-township assessment districts. Any 2 or more contiguous townships in any one county, other than townships provided for in Sections 2-5 and 2-10, may by majority vote of each board of trustees of the townships, form a multi-township assessment district comprising those townships. This determination shall be made no later than October 1 of the year preceding the year in which township officials are elected. If one or more of those township assessor's offices is vacant, a determination to form a multi-township assessment district may still be made at the time of that vacancy. The assessor or assessors remaining in office in one or more of the townships comprising the multi-township assessment district shall assume the duties of multi-township assessor until a successor is elected or appointed and qualified. If there is no township assessor remaining in office at the time, the board of trustees of the multi-township assessment district, as defined in Section 2-20, shall appoint a multi-township assessor for the unexpired terms of the former elected township assessors as provided in this Code.

The township boards of trustees shall notify the supervisor of assessments and the Department prior to December 1 of the year in which they have taken any action prescribed in this Section.

(Source: P.A. 88-455; 88-670, eff. 12-2-94.)

(35 ILCS 200/2-20)

Sec. 2-20. Township and Multi-Township Boards of Trustees; Elected Assessors. The township supervisors and clerks of townships comprising a multi-township assessment district, and the township board of trustees in townships that are not a part of a multi-township assessment jurisdiction, shall, ex officio, constitute a multi-township or township board of trustees for their respective assessment jurisdictions.

Each multi-township board of trustees shall organize and select one of its number as chairman, another as clerk and another as treasurer. These officers shall serve a term of 2 years or until their successors are elected, except no person shall be a member of a multi-township board of trustees after the expiration of his or her term as township supervisor or township clerk.

The powers and duties of a multi-township board of trustees or township board of trustees concerning property tax assessment administration shall be limited to the following: (1) levying taxes necessary to provide the funds required by the budget adopted for the township or multi-township assessor and certifying the levy to the county clerk, (2) determining and approving the budget of the assessor, (3) determining a salary for the assessor, and (4) setting the compensation of any assessor or temporarily appointed because the assessor is physically incapacitated, according to Section 60-5 of the Township Code. The levy shall not be included within any statutory limitation of rate or amount for other township purposes, but shall be in addition to that rate or amount. The board shall have no power to approve or disapprove personnel of the multi-township or township assessor. The treasurer of the multi-township board of trustees shall have the duties and responsibilities of the township supervisor in relation to the township assessor in the maintenance and disbursement of funds of the multi-township assessor.

The changes made in this Section by Public Act 82-554 do not apply to any township in a county with more than 3,000,000 inhabitants.

(Source: P.A. 88-455; 88-670, eff. 12-2-94.)

(35 ILCS 200/2-25)

Sec. 2-25. Transition to multi-township organization. No later than December 1 preceding the date the multi-township assessor takes office, the assessors of townships included in the multi-township district and the supervisor of assessments shall deliver to the multi-township assessor all books, records, supplies, and other property relating to their assessing office, taking the multi-township assessor's receipt therefor. The township supervisors of the townships comprising the multi-township district shall transfer to the multi-township treasurer all funds relating to or budgeted for purposes of township assessments. Any accounts or tax moneys for township assessment purposes thereafter shall be paid to the multi-township treasurer of the multi-township district, with copies of the county treasurer's disbursement statements going directly to the multi-township assessor.

(Source: P.A. 81-838; 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/2-30)

Sec. 2-30. Budget Making. At least 60 days prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, the assessor for each multi-township assessment district or township shall prepare and present on forms provided or approved by the Department an office budget for the ensuing fiscal year. The multi-township or township board of trustees shall adopt a budget and appropriation ordinance in accordance with the Illinois Municipal Budget Law.

The multi-township board must, at least 30 days before the public hearing required by Section 3 of the Illinois Municipal Budget Law, prepare or cause to be prepared a tentative budget and appropriation ordinance and file the ordinance with the township clerks of the townships comprising the multi-township assessment district. The township clerks must make the tentative budget and appropriation ordinance available for public inspection for at least 30 days before final action on the ordinance. The required public hearing must be held on or before the last day of the first quarter of the fiscal year before the board. Notice of the hearing must be given by publication in a newspaper published in the multi-township assessment district at least 30 days before the time of the hearing. If there is no newspaper published in the multi-township assessment district, notice of the public hearing may be given by posting notices in 5 of the most public places in each township comprising the multi-township assessment district. It is the duty of the township clerks to arrange for the public hearing. The board at the public hearing may adopt all or part of the tentative budget and appropriation ordinance, as the board deems necessary.

The multi-township or township board of trustees shall determine the amount required and permitted by law to finance the operations of the office of the multi-township or township assessor. The board of trustees shall certify that amount in a levy to the county clerk in the manner provided in Section 2-20. The county clerk shall extend the tax levies, as provided in this Code, against all taxable property within the jurisdiction.

(Source: P.A. 92-684, eff. 7-16-02.)

(35 ILCS 200/2-35)

Sec. 2-35. Disconnection petition.

(a) A township with 1,000 or more inhabitants according to the last preceding special Federal Census may be disconnected from a multi-township district under this Section if: (1) the township had less than 1,000 inhabitants preceding the date on which the township was included within a multi-township district under Section 2-5 and 2-10; or (2) the township was included within a multi-township district created under Section 2-15.

(b) If a petition for the disconnection from a multi-township assessment district of a township described in subsection (a) is signed by 10% of the registered voters of the township and is filed with the clerk of the township no later than August 1 of the year preceding the year in which the multi-township assessor is to be elected, the clerk shall promptly forward the petition to the township board of trustees. The township board of trustees shall adopt or reject the petition within 60 days after receiving it. If the board adopts the petition, the township shall be disconnected from the multi-township district, effective upon the expiration of the term of office of the incumbent multi-township assessor.

(c) After the disconnection of a township under this Section, the multi-township district shall continue to exist. If only one township remains in the district after the disconnection or if the combined population of the remaining townships is less than 1,000 inhabitants, the disconnection shall not be allowed.

(Source: P.A. 84-1051; 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/2-40)

Sec. 2-40. Notice of disconnection. Within 60 days of an adoption of a disconnection petition under Section 2-35, the clerk or clerks of the disconnected township or townships shall notify the Department of that fact.

When so notified, the Department shall amend the list filed with the Secretary of State under Section 2-10.

(Source: P.A. 85-340; 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/2-45)

Sec. 2-45. Selection and eligibility of township and multi-township assessors.

(a) In all counties under township organization, township or multi-township assessors shall be qualified as required by subsections (b) through (d) of this Section and shall be elected as provided in this Code. Township or multi-township assessors shall enter upon their duties on January 1 following their election, and perform the duties of the office for 4 years.

(b) Beginning December 1, 1996, in any township or multi-township assessment district not subject to the requirements of subsections (c) or (d) of this Section, no person is eligible to file nomination papers or participate as a candidate in any caucus or primary or general election for, or be appointed to fill vacancies in, the office of township or multi-township assessor, unless he or she (i) has successfully completed an introductory course in assessment practices that is approved by the Department; or (ii) possesses at least one of the qualifications listed in paragraphs (1) through (6) of subsection (c) of this Section. The candidate cannot file nominating papers or participate as a candidate unless a copy of the certificate of his or her qualifications from the Department is filed with the township clerk, board of election commissioners, or other appropriate authority as required by the Election Code. The candidate cannot be appointed to fill a vacancy until he or she has filed a copy of the certificate of his or her qualifications from the Department with the appointing authority.

(c) Beginning December 1, 1996, in a township or multi-township assessment district with $25,000,000 or more of non-farm equalized assessed value or $1,000,000 or more in commercial and industrial equalized assessed value, no person is eligible to file nomination papers or participate as a candidate in any caucus or primary or general election for, or be appointed to fill vacancies in, the office of township or multi-township assessor, unless he or she possesses at least one of the qualifications listed in paragraphs (1) through (6) of this subsection (c).

(1) a currently active Certified Illinois Assessing Officer designation from the Illinois Property Assessment Institute;

(2) (blank);

(3) a currently active AAS, CAE, or MAS designation from the International Association of Assessing Officers;

(4) a currently active MAI, SREA, SRPA, SRA, or RM designation from the Appraisal Institute;

(5) a currently active professional designation by any other appraisal or assessing association approved by the Department; or

(6) (blank).

The candidate cannot file nominating papers or participate as a candidate unless a copy of the certificate of his or her qualifications from the Department is filed with the township clerk, board of election commissioners, or other appropriate authority as required by the Election Code. The candidate cannot be appointed to fill a vacancy until he or she has filed a copy of the certificate of his or her qualifications with the appointing authority.

(d) Beginning December 1, 2000, in a township or multi-township assessment district with more than $10,000,000 and less than $25,000,000 of non-farm equalized assessed value and less than $1,000,000 in commercial and industrial equalized assessed value, no person who has previously been elected as township or multi-township assessor in any such township or multi-township assessment district is eligible to file nomination papers or participate as a candidate in any caucus or primary or general election for the office of township or multi-township assessor, unless he or she possesses at least one of the qualifications listed in paragraphs (1) through (6) of subsection (c) of this Section. The candidate cannot file nominating papers or participate as a candidate unless a copy of the certificate of his or her qualifications from the Department is filed with the township clerk, board of election commissioners, or other appropriate authority as required by the Election Code.

(e) If any person files nominating papers for candidacy for the office of township or multi-township assessor without also filing a copy of the certificate of his or her qualifications from the Department as required by this Section, the clerk of the township, the board of election commissioners, or other appropriate authority as required by the Election Code shall refuse to certify the name of the person as a candidate to the proper election officials.

If no candidate for election meets the above qualifications there shall be no election and the town board of trustees or multi-township board of trustees shall appoint or contract with a person under Section 2-60.

As used in this Section only, "non-farm equalized assessed value" means the total equalized assessed value in the township or multi-township assessment district as reported to the Department under Section 18-225 after removal of homestead exemptions, and after removal of the equalized assessed value reported as farm or minerals to the Department under Section 18-225.

For purposes of this Section only, "file nomination papers" also includes having nomination papers filed on behalf of the candidate by another person.

(Source: P.A. 101-467, eff. 8-23-19.)

(35 ILCS 200/2-50)

Sec. 2-50. Certification by Department. The Department shall, within 15 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1995 and, thereafter, by February 1 of each year before the year of election of township or multi-township assessors, certify to each township or multi-township clerk and each county clerk a list showing all township and multi-township assessment districts with the pre-election requirements for township or multi-township assessor under Section 2-45 for each township and each multi-township assessment district. If a new multi-township assessment district is established under Section 2-15 or a township is disconnected from a multi-township assessment district under Section 2-35, the Department shall, within 30 days after the required statutory notice, certify to the multi-township clerk and county clerk whether the assessor for the new multi-township assessment district is subject to the requirements of subsections (b), (c), or (d) of Section 2-45 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 88-455; 89-441, eff. 6-1-96.)

(35 ILCS 200/2-52)

Sec. 2-52. Revision of assessor qualifications by Department. The Department may revise the assessor qualifications for township and multi-township assessment districts from those qualifications specified in subsections (c) or (d) of Section 2-45 to those qualifications specified in subsection (b) of Section 2-45 if the township or multi-township board of trustees petition the Department to do so. In determining petitions from a township or multi-township board of trustees requesting a change in assessor qualifications, the Department shall consider the quantity and complexity of assessments in the township or multi-township. The Department shall promulgate reasonable rules relating to the administration of this Section.

(Source: P.A. 89-441, eff. 6-1-96.)

(35 ILCS 200/2-55)

Sec. 2-55. Role as ex-officio deputy assessors. In all townships in counties of 3,000,000 or more, in which township assessors are elected, the township assessors shall be ex-officio deputy assessors to make the assessments in the townships wherein they are elected but those ex-officio deputy assessors shall be under the direction and control of the county assessor in the same manner as other deputy assessors, subject to the rules and regulations prescribed by the county assessor and the board of appeals. The compensation and expenses of the township assessors shall be determined and paid as provided in Sections 2-70, 2-75, 2-80, 4-10, 4-15 and 4-20. If in any township the ex-officio deputy assessor is not able, within the time allowed by law or set by rules and regulations prescribed by the county assessor and the board of appeals, to make the assessment in the township, any additional deputy assessor or deputy assessors required to make the assessment shall be residents and legal voters of the township and may be appointed by the county assessor. For failure to complete the assessment and return the assessment books within the time prescribed by law or set by the rules and regulations of the county assessor and board of appeals, any township assessor may be removed from office by the order of the county assessor. All clerks and deputies shall take and subscribe an oath of office to honestly and faithfully perform all the duties of their respective offices under the direction of the county assessor. The county assessor, the clerks and deputy assessors, may administer oaths authorized by law to be administered by assessors. The number and compensation of the clerks and the deputies (other than the ex-officio deputies) shall be determined annually by the county board and shall be paid from the county treasury.

(Source: P.A. 83-121; 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/2-60)

Sec. 2-60. Vacancies.

(a) When any township or multi-township assessment district fails to elect an assessor or when an assessor's office becomes vacant for any reason specified in Section 25-2 of the Election Code, the township or multi-township board of trustees shall fill the vacancy in townships or multi-township assessment districts by appointing a person qualified as required under Section 2-45 or as revised by the Department under Section 2-52. A person appointed to fill a vacancy under this Section must be a member of the same political party as the person vacating the office if the person vacating the office was a member of an established political party, as defined in Section 10-2 of the Election Code, that is still in existence at the time the appointment is made. The appointee shall establish his or her political party affiliation by his or her record of voting in party primary elections or by holding or having held an office in a political party organization before the appointment. If the appointee has not voted in a party primary election or is not holding or has not held an office in a political party organization before the appointment, then the appointee shall establish his or her political party affiliation by his or her record of participating in a political party's nomination or election caucus.

(b) In the alternative, a township or multi-township assessment district shall contract with a person qualified as required under Section 2-45 or as revised by the Department under Section 2-52 to do the assessing at a cost no greater than the maximum salary authorized for that township or multi-township assessment district under Section 2-70.

(Source: P.A. 89-342, eff. 1-1-96; 89-441, eff. 6-1-96; 90-748, eff. 8-14-98.)

(35 ILCS 200/2-65)

Sec. 2-65. Deputies and employees.

(a) In all counties under township organization where a township or multi-township assessor is unable alone to perform all duties of the office, he or she may appoint one or more suitable persons as deputies to assist in making the assessment, and may appoint other employees required for operation of the office. The deputies and other employees may be employed on an annual, monthly or daily basis.

(b) Every township or multi-township assessor with 5 or more deputies and other employees shall adopt rules concerning all benefits available to employees. The rules shall include, without limitation, the following benefits to the extent they are applicable: insurance coverage, compensation, overtime pay, compensatory time off, holidays, vacations, sick leave, and maternity leave. The rules shall be adopted and filed with the township clerk within 4 months after the assessor takes office. A multi-township assessor shall file the rules with the clerk of each township in the district. Amendments to the rules shall be filed with the appropriate township clerk or clerks by their effective date.

(Source: P.A. 87-818; 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/2-70)

Sec. 2-70. Salary. Each multi-township board of trustees shall set the salary of its multi-township assessor at least 150 days before his or her election. Each township board of trustees shall set the salary of its township assessor at the same time it sets the compensation of its township supervisor.

(Source: P.A. 90-210, eff. 7-25-97.)

(35 ILCS 200/2-75)

Sec. 2-75. Affidavit for time employed. When compensation of a township or multi-township assessor or his or her deputy is based upon the time actually employed in the making of assessments, the assessors and deputies shall make an affidavit of the time so employed. Payments of the compensation and expenses under Sections 2-65, 2-70 and 2-80 shall be paid out of the township or multi-township treasury.

(Source: Laws 1967, p. 388; P.A. 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/2-80)

Sec. 2-80. Expenses and office needs. Township and multi-township assessors shall receive travel and transportation expenses in the amount determined by the board of town trustees, and shall be reimbursed for their reasonable travel, meal, lodging and registration expenses incurred in attendance at a school of instruction prescribed by the Department. The board of town trustees shall provide the office and storage space, equipment, office supplies, deputies and clerical and stenographic personnel and other items as are necessary for the efficient operation of the office.

(Source: P.A. 83-1277; 88-455.)