Senior citizen tax deferral program, Voting site changes, and More

Lake County, Illinois sent this bulletin at 01/31/2018 04:04 PM CST

January 31, 2018

Senior Citizen Tax Deferral Program

Senior citizens may defer part or all of their property taxes on their personal residence if they qualify for the Senior Citizen Tax Deferral program. Your application will be filled out by the Lake County Treasurer's Office using the information you provide. All applications must be submitted by March 1.

Applicants must be 65 years old or older as of June 1 of the tax year claimed.
Total household income must be $55,000 or less.
This is a State loan with a 6% simple interest rate per year.
Learn more about this program.

Voting Site Changes

To protect the election’s integrity and ensure voters’ privacy, it was necessary to change a number of voting site locations beginning with the March 20 Primary Election. Impacted voters were notified by mail and sent a revised Certificate of Registration card, noting the new voting site name and address. You can always visit the Lake County Clerk’s website at LakeCountyClerk.info or call 847-377-2400 for current voter registration and election information. View complete list of voting site changes.

Processing of Prepayments for 2017 Tax Year Near Completion

The Lake County Treasurer's Office is now finalizing all prepayments of 2017 real estate taxes and will shortly conclude mailing out receipts to taxpayers who submitted a prepayment by mail. The rush to prepay real estate taxes last December led to a record year in Lake County. More than 20,000 taxpayers prepaid their real estate taxes in 2017, compared to 200 to 300 who prepay on average. View other facts and an important notice for those who prepaid their 2017 real estate taxes.

Free Filing for Federal and State Taxes

Individuals who earned $66,000 or less in 2017 can self-file their federal and state taxes for free and save an average of $200 in fees by using My Free Taxes. English and Spanish support via telephone (1-855-MY-TX-HELP) is available, along with email and online chat support from IRS-certified specialists. Learn more about My Free Taxes.

How to Prepare Household Chemical Waste for Delivery

Instead of throwing away your household chemicals, drop them off with the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County! Did you know chemical waste in our landfills can potentially leach into the soil and pollute the surrounding groundwater? Schedule an appointment to drop off your household chemicals. View acceptable and unacceptable items.

When you’re ready, there are tips you should follow to get it there safely.

Working Through the Night at Point-in-Time Homeless Count

This year, 86 volunteers took part in the annual Point-in-Time Homeless Count searching across Lake County to help document the need in our communities and offer assistance to unsheltered people experiencing homelessness. Volunteers made contact with 20 people experiencing homelessness, compared to 27 last year. Learn more about this year’s Point-In-time Homeless Count, and find out how you can make a difference in ending chronic homelessness.

Forest Preserve News

Strategic Plan Update
Promoting public access and trail connections is the central focus of one of our strategic directions. Last fall, a new pedestrian bridge was installed over the Metra Railway in the wee hours of the morning when train traffic was light. The new bridge now connects 4.5 miles of trails at Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve (Lake Forest) to the Lake Forest Academy and Townline Community Park. Crosswalk improvements at Route 60 and Academy Drive provide safe access. This project is part of a larger effort to connect Middlefork Savanna and the Middlefork Trail and Greenway to the Des Plaines River Trail at MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve (Mettawa). Several local partners and donors made this trail connection possible. Learn more

Governor Approves Land Exchange
Last fall, Governor Bruce Rauner signed HB 534, an act of the state Legislature authorizing a historic land exchange between the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Lake County Forest Preserves. The terms of the act call for 131-acre Black Crown Forest Preserve (Volo), currently owned and managed by us, to be transferred in full to IDNR and added to the adjacent Moraine Hills State Park. In exchange, IDNR will fully release its partial ownership interests in our current land holdings at Oriole Grove (Lake Bluff) and Prairie Wolf (Lake Forest), giving us 100 percent ownership of the land at both forest preserves. The agreement benefits residents because the three parcels, Black Crown, Oriole Grove and Prairie Wolf, will remain as public open space in perpetuity.

Give the Gift of Golf
Golf season is right around the corner and golf gift cards are the perfect gift for that golfer in your life. They are good for green fees, carts, and pro shop items at any of our three forest preserve golf courses. Buy online today, by phone at 847-968-3102, or at our General Offices in Libertyville.