Hello Neighbors
There are at least three key topics in this week's newsletter. Property assessment notices have been sent for all of Fremont Township. Several items below explain the assessment process, how to get help and how to appeal when appropriate.
Seniors, this is URGENT: note that Friday, Nov 7th is the last day to apply for the income related "freeze." See below.
History comes alive this weekend with the Civil War reenactment at Lakewood Forest Preserve (Rt. 176, West of Fairfield Rd.). See below.
Economic Development and jobs/workforce information as reported by Lake County Partners. I co-founded LCP as a business owner years ago and now serve on the board of that public/private partnership as a representative of Lake County government. See below.
As always, please email or call me with your comments, suggestions
and questions.
Regards,
Assessment notices have been sent
out for Fremont Township. Notices will continue to be mailed to other townships
in Lake County through August.
What is A Property Assessment?
It may help to think of the property tax process like a pie.
Taxing bodies, including school districts, villages and the county (and many
other taxing districts) determine how much they need to collect in taxes. That
determines the size of the pie, and the property assessment determines how
the pie is cut up. The assessment process ensures property taxes are fairly
distributed. Elected township assessors are primarily responsible for
appraising properties and determining a property’s value, which ultimately
determines the portion of the total tax burden (or piece of the pie). If you have questions or concerns regarding the
assessed value of your property, you should discuss this with your local township assessor’s office.
 Understand Your Property Assessment
Get free, one-on-one assistance with evaluating your assessment at tax assessment help centers. These are
listed on your blue assessment notice, too. Watch
this video to learn more about the help centers.
Taxpayer advocates are also available from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday through Friday at the Chief County Assessment Office, 18 N. County St.,
7th Floor, Waukegan.
Should You Appeal Your Property
Assessment?
View the five steps to determining if you should
appeal your property assessment.
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 Filing an Appeal? Use our Online
System
Our quick and convenient Online Appeal Filing System allows
you to get your appeal information to the Board of Review without the hassle of
mailing or hand delivering them to the Chief County Assessment Office in
Waukegan. Watch this video to learn more about the process
to file an appeal online.
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 Did
you know 43 percent of Lake County residents have a bachelor’s degree or
higher? That exceeds the national average by 13 percent! Learn more about Lake
County’s workforce by viewing Lake
County Partners 2016 annual report.
Also, find out how Lake County Partners is expanding the County’s
"Workforce Ecosystem” by working with local partners to build a talent
pipeline and giving municipal investors the insights to build great
communities that attract top talent. Learn more by watching
this video.
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 Are you seeking
employment? Transitioning careers? Attend “Five Steps to Your Next
Job” to learn current job search techniques and other tips to land your next
job! The next workshop series will meet from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. July 17 to
21 at Cook Park Library in Libertyville. Learn more, including how to register. Also, view the full schedule of workshops and job events the Job
Center of Lake County will offer through July.
Lake County is Hiring!
Lake County government offers career opportunities that cover a wide spectrum
of fields including law, law enforcement, corrections, nursing, finance and
budgeting, highway maintenance, and more. View the
current job opportunities available.
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The
deadline is July 7 to complete the 2017 Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze
Application for
taxes payable in 2018.
The Senior Freeze provides eligible seniors (based on income
levels) protection against real estate tax increases due to rising property
values, as this exemption “freezes” your home’s equalized assessed value at a
base year value. The base year is generally the year before you first qualify
and apply for the exemption. For example, if you first qualify and apply in
2017, your property’s equalized assessed value will be “frozen” at the 2016
equalized assessed value. Please note that this exemption is not a tax freeze or
a tax reduction and does not protect against increased taxes due to tax rate
increases.
To qualify for this exemption, you must be 65 years of age or
older, own the property as your principal residence for the past two January
1’s, and have a 2016 total household income of $55,000 or less.
Applications can be filed at the
Chief County Assessment Office, 18 N. County St., 7th Floor, Waukegan or at
your local
township assessor’s office.
 Forest Preserve News
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 26th Annual Civil War Days
History comes to life at one of the largest reenactments in the Midwest,
featuring battles, period demonstrations, kids’ activities and Civil War-era
shopping. Civil War Days will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 8 and 9 a.m. to 3
p.m. July 9 at Lakewood Forest Preserve. Purchase tickets online, and save $1
on admission. View daily schedule
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 Family Fun Fridays at Independence Grove
The beach at
Independence Grove gets even better on Fridays with games, contests and prizes
around a different theme each week. Join the party from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Fridays. These events are open to all ages and free with beach admission. No
registration is required. Learn
more
Preservation
Foundation Helps Fund Ranger Training
Lake County
Forest Preserve Ranger Police patrol 10 percent of the land in Lake County,
making ours the second largest jurisdiction. As part of their work, rangers
often encounter people with emotional, cognitive, and mental health challenges.
The Preservation Foundation’s Board of Directors recently
approved a grant for Crisis Intervention Training to provide all full-time
rangers with skills to deescalate interactions with people in crisis and
connect them with health services. This specialized training will directly
improve public safety in your forest preserves. Learn more about how you can
stay safe in the preserves with these safety alerts and tips.
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 Drivers with outstanding fines and costs for traffic
violations in Lake County can pay off their outstanding traffic tickets at their original cost during the
County’s “Operation Green Light” initiative July 17 to 21.
Operation Green Light payments can be made over the
phone or in person at one of Lake County’s branch courts. Find
out more, including where to pay.
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So far in 2017, members
of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office have saved the lives of 16 people from
heroin overdoses. This number already surpasses the number of lives saved in
2015 (11) and 2016 (13).
The
Sheriff’s Office partnered with the Lake County Health Department in 2014 and
trained all Sheriff’s Office enforcement personnel in the administration of naloxone,
an opioid antidote that
counteracts the effects of heroin and opioids in the brain and essentially “brings
back” an individual from an overdose.
Nearly 100 doses of naloxone
were administered since then.
The Lake County
Sheriff’s Gang Task Force also continues to make strides, arresting heroin
dealers operating throughout Lake County as well as providing educational
presentations to school students, school staff, and community groups.
 This summer, join
the fight against opioid addiction. Here’s how:
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 The
Lake County Courthouse Expansion project is well underway! Watch this edition of Lake County's Dirty Jobs as County Board
Chairman Aaron Lawlor tackles an important task and sprays fireproofing
material on the steel beams in the building, which will make it safer in the
event of a fire. This project,
which is anticipated to be completed in summer 2018, is designed to increase
the efficiency of the justice system and support growth of the justice agencies
out to the year 2030 and beyond.
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 Lake County Public Works is committed to providing
safe water to our customers. In accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, we
publish an annual Consumer
Confidence Report (CCR) describing the
sources, treatment and chemical analysis of each water distribution system.
Learn more about what we are doing to protect your
local drinking water quality and find out where your water comes from in this video.
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Join
fun at Fremont Public Library
Join the next used book sale July 8 and 9 at Fremont Public Library. The sale will
begin at 10 a.m. July 8 and again at 1 p.m. July 9. Find gently used
books, audiobooks, music CDs and DVDs.
Come to area Cruise Nights
Cruise over to Hawthorn Woods Community Park and enjoy a night of cool cars and family fun at 5 p.m. July 14. Learn more
Also, check out the Village of Wauconda's next Cruise Night from 5 to 9 p.m. July 18 along Main Street. Learn more
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