Just in time for this summer’s property tax bills, the Cook County Board has finalized plans for a one-time relief program for a small slice of taxpayers.
The program will dole out $13.6 million in unrestricted cash payments to eligible households at or below 100% of the area median income that have seen their property tax bills go up by at least 50% in any year since 2022. The maximum payout would be $1,000.
“This is a short-term solution” to try to address unexpected spikes in tax bills in recent years, Commissioner Bridget Gainer, the lead sponsor of the relief fund, said. “It’s one step in a long road.”