Letter to Taxpayers

Spring 2021


Dear Fellow St. Clair County Taxpayer,

I understand your concern over property taxes.

My statutory duties as elected St. Clair County Treasurer are to mail property tax bills, collect property tax payments, and distribute property tax revenue to taxing districts.

Here are short answers to some frequently asked questions:

  • Assessments of property are done by the St. Clair County Assessor. See Assessment below.
  • The General Homestead Exemption is administered by the St. Clair County Assessor. The Senior Assessment Freeze,Persons’ With Disabilities Homestead Exemption,Veteran's With Disabilities Standard Homestead and Returning Veteran’s Exemption are administered by the St. Clair County Assessor. See Exemptions below.
  • The Senior Citizens’ Homestead Exemption and the Homestead Improvement Exemption are administered the St. Clair County Board of Review. See Exemptions below.
  • Delinquent property taxes are sold each November in accordance with state law. See If your property taxes were sold​ below.
  • Tax levies, including those of school districts, are set by elected officials of taxing districts. Tax rates are calculated by the elected St. Clair County Clerk. See Taxing districts, levies and rates below.
  • Property tax laws are written by elected members of the Illinois General Assembly. See Making your voice heard below.

Assessment
The St. Clair County Assessor, Jennifer Gomric-Minton, determines the assessment of your property and land.

Exemption
The General Homestead Exemption, the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead and other property tax exemptions are administered by the St. Clair County Assessor, including three new homestead exemptions that became available to taxpayers in 2008. The three new exemptions are the Persons’ With Disabilities Homestead Exemption, the Veterans’ With Disabilites Homestead Exemption, and the Returning Veterans’ Homestead Exemption. Note that the annual income limit for the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption is $65,000.

For more information on any of the above exemptions, you may contact the St. Clair County Assessor:


Jennifer Gomric-Minton, St. Clair County Assessor
St. Clair County Building
10 Public Square
Belleville, IL 62220
(618) 825-2704


The Senior Citizens’ Homestead Exemption and the Homestead Improvement Exemption are administered the St. Clair County Board of Review. For more information regarding these two exemptions, you may contact the St. Clair County Board of Review:

St. Clair County Board of Review
St. Clair County Building
10 Public Square
Belleville, IL 62220
(618) 277-6600 ext. 2489, 2493

Appeals

If you are not satisfied with your assessment after you speak with the assessor, you may use the following two appeal processes.

One appeal is to the elected three-member St. Clair County Board of Review. This appeal seeks to reduce the assessment, which helps set the next year’s property tax bill. The thirty-day period during which one can file this appeal begins when the St. Clair County Assessor revised assessments.

To file an appeal, you may contact the St. Clair County Board of Review:

St. Clair County Board of Review
St. Clair County Building
10 Public Square
Belleville, IL 62220
(618) 277-6600 ext. 2489, 2493


The other appeal requires filing a Tax Objection Complaint with the elected Clerk of the Circuit Court. This appeal seeks to reduce the current year’s property taxes and is usually reserved for tax rate challenge. The Tax Objection Complaint must be filed within seventy-five days of the property tax 2nd installment due date. You may contact the Clerk of the Circuit Court as follows:


Kinnis Williams, Clerk of the Circuit Court
St. Clair County Building
10 Public Square
Belleville, IL 62220
(618) 277-6600 ext. 2334

If your property taxes were sold


The purchase of a delinquent tax by a tax buyer does not cause the immediate loss of property. A residential property owner has 24 to 30 months to buy back ("redeem") the sold delinquent tax before the tax buyer can acquire the deed.


The St. Clair County Clerk's office is where sold delinquent taxes are redeemed. Contact the St. Clair County Clerk to learn the full cost of redemption, including all fees, penalties and interest.


Note carefully the following:
The interest rate on the sold delinquent tax doubles every six months.
A redemption of the sold delinquent tax—including all fees, penalties, and interest—must be paid in full. Partial redemption is not accepted.
The tax buyer who purchased the delinquent 2016 or 2017 tax may add any unpaid 2018 tax to the 2016 or 2017 tax sale after the second installment due date, August 21, 2019, and before the next tax sale.


Taxing districts, levies and rates

There are two hundred and fifty-four taxing districts in St. Clair County. Some cover the entire county, some just a township, and some just the area within the boundaries of a school, park, library, or fire protection district. Your tax bill lists only those taxing districts in which your property exists.

The elected members of each taxing district vote each year to set that particular taxing district’s tax levy. They set the amount of property taxes (“the levy”) they will seek from property owners living within the district boundaries.

The St. Clair County Clerk uses the tax levies approved by the elected members of taxing districts to calculate tax rates and extended levies. You may contact the St. Clair County Clerk as follows:

St. Clair County Clerk   
St. Clair County Building
10 Public Square
Belleville, IL 62220
(618) 277-6600 ext. 2370


Making your voice heard

Members of the Illinois General Assembly and the Illinois Governor​ make the property tax laws. I encourage you to communicate your views on property taxes to your state senator, your state representative, and the governor.
For voter registration information, contact St. Clair County Clerk.

Sincerely,

Andrew Lopinot
St. Clair County Treasurer
St. Clair County Building
10 Public Square
Belleville, IL 62220
(618) 825-2707