35 ILCS 200/ Property Tax Code.

(35 ILCS 200/20-185)

Sec. 20-185. Bonds secured by uncollectible revenue. When bonds issued by a municipality are secured either by ad valorem tax levies or by specific revenues other than ad valorem tax levies and the payment of the tax or specific revenue has been delinquent for a period of 30 years the taxes or revenue shall be presumed to be uncollectable and in those cases, the municipal treasurer shall enter upon the appropriate bond issue records where the bonds appear the words "CANCELLED - Revenue Uncollectable", and shall adjust the books and records accordingly.

When bonds have been designated as specified above the municipality may use any money it holds for the payment of those bonds for any general corporate purpose.

(Source: P.A. 81-692; 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20-190)

Sec. 20-190. Statute of limitation for collection of delinquent real estate taxes and special assessments.

(a) If a taxpayer owes arrearages of taxes for a reason other than administrative error, actions for the collection of any delinquent general tax, or the enforcement or foreclosure of the tax lien shall be commenced within 20 years after the tax became delinquent, and not thereafter. After 20 years the tax lien shall be discharged and released.

Actions for the collection of any delinquent installments of special assessments or special taxes, or the enforcement or foreclosure of the special assessment lien shall be commenced within 30 years after the installments became delinquent. After 30 years the lien for the installments shall be discharged and released.

(b) If a taxpayer owes arrearages of taxes due to an administrative error, the county may not bill, collect, claim a lien for, or sell the arrearages of taxes for tax years earlier than the 2 most recent tax years, including the current tax year.

(c) For purposes of this Section, "administrative error" includes but is not limited to failure to include an extension for a taxing district on the tax bill, an error in the calculations of tax rates or extensions or any other mathematical error by the county clerk, or a defective coding by the county, but does not include a failure by the county to send a tax bill to the taxpayer, the failure by the taxpayer to notify the assessor of a change in the tax-exempt status of property, or any error concerning the assessment of the property.

(Source: P.A. 92-201, eff. 1-1-02.)

(35 ILCS 200/20-195)

Sec. 20-195. Omitted property. The provisions of Sections 20-180 through 20-190 do not apply to taxes which have been levied as provided in Section 16-135.

(Source: P.A. 77-2747; 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20-200)

Sec. 20-200. Application to pending actions. The provisions of Sections 20-180 through 20-190 do not apply to any actions now pending in court or instituted within the time limitations of Section 20-190 for the collection of taxes or special assessments.

(Source: P.A. 78-245; 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20-205)

Sec. 20-205. Unpaid suspense tax fund. The amount of all general taxes appearing upon the tax records of the counties of the State against which the limitations in Sections 20-180 through 20-190 have run shall be transferred by the collector or clerk of each county to a special account in the office of the collector or clerk to be designated "Unpaid Suspense Tax Fund" and for all accounting or other purposes the amount appearing on the books of the collector or clerk shall not be given any value or held as having any value for any purpose.

(Source: P.A. 78-245; 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20-210)

Sec. 20-210. Taxes payable in installments; payment under specification. Except as otherwise provided in Section 21-30, current taxes shall be payable in 2 equal installments. The collector, when requested by the party paying the taxes, shall receive and receipt for the taxes in installments. The collector shall receive taxes on part of any property charged with taxes when a particular specification of the part is furnished. If the tax on the remainder of the property remains unpaid, the collector shall enter that specification in his or her return, so that the part on which the tax remains unpaid may be clearly known. The tax may be paid on an undivided share of property. In that case, the collector shall designate on his or her record upon whose undivided share the tax has been paid.

(Source: P.A. 95-948, eff. 1-1-09.)

(35 ILCS 200/20-215)

Sec. 20-215. Application of tax payments. In the payment of any installment of real property taxes, the collector shall first apply the payments to interest (including interest added upon forfeiture to real property taxes) and costs. After the payment of interest and costs the payments shall be applied upon the total tax.

(Source: P.A. 87-17; 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20-220)

Sec. 20-220. Certificate of illegal tax collections on pollution control facilities. Within 15 days after the receipt of a request by a taxing district, the collector shall issue a certificate (hereinafter referred to as the "Certificate") to the governing body or corporate authorities of the taxing district setting forth (i) the aggregate amount of all taxes collected on extensions upon pollution control facilities, as defined in Section 11-10, by and distributed to the taxing district prior to the date of the issuance of the Certificate, if those taxes have been held illegal by the final order of a court, or any board, body or entity having jurisdiction, because the pollution control facilities within the taxing district were incorrectly assessed or valued, based upon the method of valuation under Section 11-15, at the time taxes levied by or on behalf of the taxing district were extended (hereinafter referred to as the "illegal taxes"), (ii) the aggregate amount of the illegal taxes required to be deducted from the taxes of the taxing district during the same calendar year as, and during the 2 full calendar years immediately following, the date of the issuance of the Certificate (hereinafter referred to as the "taxes to be deducted"), and (iii) the aggregate amount of the illegal taxes deducted during the same calendar year as, and during the 2 full calendar years immediately preceding, the date of the issuance of the Certificate (hereinafter referred to as the "deducted taxes").

(Source: P.A. 87-17; 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20-225)

Sec. 20-225. Bonds for reimbursement of illegal tax collections on pollution control facilities. When a taxing district, prior to January 1, 1988, issued its full faith and credit bonds for reimbursement of illegal tax collections on pollution control facilities, as set out in this Section, it may issue additional bonds for purposes of refunding those bonds, whether in advance of or at maturity or prior redemption, and whether by exchange, payment or establishment of an irrevocable escrow. The principal amount of the refunding bonds may exceed the principal amount of the bonds being refunded.

The full faith and credit bonds, hereinafter referred to as the "Bonds", may have been issued by the taxing district whenever and as often as the current aggregate amount of the taxes to be deducted and the deducted taxes set forth in the Certificate equaled or exceeded $10,000, for the purpose of (i) reducing the amount of the taxes to be deducted by depositing proceeds of the Bonds with the collector, (ii) reimbursing its treasury for all or a portion of the deducted taxes for which no Bonds were previously issued, (iii) paying the expenses of issuing the Bonds, (iv) paying interest on the Bonds, or (v) any combination thereof. Any Certificate issued not more than 6 months prior to the issuance of the Bonds shall be conclusive evidence of all the facts set forth therein and any error or inaccuracy therein or any failure of future events to conform to the Certificate shall not affect the validity of the Bonds in any manner.

The Bonds issued under this Section shall not count as indebtedness, or act as a limitation on the amount of indebtedness permitted to be issued by any taxing district, under the provisions of any law regarding limitations on indebtedness. The Bonds shall bear interest at a rate or rates authorized by the Bond Authorization Act, shall mature within 20 years after the date of the issuance thereof and shall be sold at a price of not less than par plus accrued interest to the date of delivery of the Bonds. The denomination of the Bonds and the manner of sale shall be determined by the taxing district.

In order to authorize and issue the Bonds, the governing body or corporate authorities of the taxing district shall adopt an ordinance or resolution fixing the amount of Bonds, the date thereof, the maturities thereof, the rate or rates of interest thereof, the place or places of payment, the manner of execution and the denomination or denominations thereof and providing for the levy and collection of a direct annual tax upon all the taxable property in the taxing district sufficient to pay the principal and interest on the Bonds to maturity. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, the ordinance or resolution shall not be required to be published and shall be effective immediately upon passage and approval. Upon the filing in the office of the county clerk of each county in which any portion of the taxing district is located of a certified copy of the ordinance or resolution, each county clerk shall extend the tax therefor in addition to and in excess of all other taxes authorized to be levied by or on behalf of such taxing district.

This Section is cumulative and constitutes complete authority for the issuance of the Bonds notwithstanding any other statute or law to the contrary.

This Section does not apply to taxing districts located entirely within a county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants.

(Source: P.A. 87-17; 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/Art. 20 Div. 5 heading) Division 5. Settlement of Accounts

(35 ILCS 200/20-230)

Sec. 20-230. Settlement with county board. On the third Monday in December, annually, for all property taxes, the county board shall settle with and allow the county collector credit for the allowance to which he or she is legally entitled. In the 10 years following the completion of a general reassessment of property in any county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, made under an order of the Department, settlement shall be made at the regular meeting of the county board held next after the 45th day after all taxes upon property become delinquent and have begun to bear interest.

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

(35 ILCS 200/20-235)

Sec. 20-235. Credit for forfeited property. If any property is forfeited to the State for taxes or special assessments, the collector shall be entitled to a credit in the final settlement, for the amount of the taxes or special assessments on the forfeited properties. The county shall allow the amount of printers' fees expended, and be entitled to the fees, when collected.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20-240)

Sec. 20-240. Settlement lists to be filed with county clerk. If there is no session of the county board held at the proper time for settling and adjusting the accounts of the county collector, the collector shall file the lists with the county clerk, who shall examine the lists and correct the same, if necessary, in like manner as the board is required to do. The county clerk shall make an accurate computation of the value of the property and the amount of the delinquent tax and special assessments returned, for which the collector is entitled to credit.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20-245)

Sec. 20-245. Certification by county clerk. The county clerk shall immediately certify to the several authorities or persons with whom the county collector is to make settlement, showing the valuation of property and amount of taxes and special assessments due thereon allowable to the collector in the settlement of their several accounts.

(Source: Laws 1939, p. 886; P.A. 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20-250)

Sec. 20-250. Verification of certified amounts. The proper authorities or persons shall, in their final settlements with the collector, allow him or her credit for the amount so certified. However, if those authorities or persons have reason to believe that the amount stated in the certificate is not correct, or that the allowance was illegally made, he or they shall return it for correction. When it appears to be necessary, in the opinion of those authorities or persons, he or they shall designate and appoint some competent person to examine the collector's books and settlement. The person so designated and appointed shall have access to the collector's books and papers, appertaining to the collector's office or settlement, for the purpose of making the examination.

(Source: P.A. 76-2254; 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20-255)

Sec. 20-255. County board examination of settlement. In all cases when the adjustment is made with the county clerk, the county board shall, at the first session thereafter, examine the settlement. If found correct, the board shall enter an order to that effect. However, if any omission or error is found, the board shall cause it to be corrected, and a correct statement of the facts in the case forwarded to the proper authorities or persons, who shall correct and adjust the collector's accounts accordingly.

(Source: P.A. 76-2254; 88-455.)

(35 ILCS 200/20-260)

Sec. 20-260. Failure to obtain judgment; effect on settlement. The failure of any county collector to obtain judgment shall not prevent him or her from presenting a statement of credits and making settlement for taxes, and special assessments in his or her hands, at the time required by this Code. If, from no fault of the collector, he or she fails to obtain judgment and sale of delinquent property, or judgment fixing the correct amount of any taxes paid under protest at the time required by this Code, he or she shall be allowed, in the settlements, a temporary credit for the amount of taxes and special assessments in the delinquent list and for the amount of those taxes paid under protest. The delinquent taxes and special assessments shall be accounted for and paid immediately after sale is held. The amount of any taxes paid under protest shall be distributed as provided for in Section 23-15 and 23-20 and any refund ordered by the court shall be accounted for and paid in accordance with the judgment of the court. Protested taxes not so distributed by a county collector, but withheld for the making of refunds ordered by the court, in any event, shall be distributed within 3 years from the date the protest was filed with the collector.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 2559; P.A. 88-455.)