Section 1910.50  Determination of Appealed Assessment

a)         All proceedings before the Property Tax Appeal Board shall be considered de novo meaning the Board will consider only the evidence, exhibits and briefs submitted to it, and will not give any weight or consideration to any prior actions by a local board of review or to any submissions not timely filed or not specifically made a part of the record.  The Board shall not be limited to the evidence presented to the board of review of the county.  A party participating in the hearing before the Property Tax Appeal Board is entitled to introduce evidence that is otherwise proper and admissible without regard to whether that evidence has previously been introduced at a hearing before the board of review of the county.  Each appeal shall be limited to the grounds listed in the petition filed with the Board.  (Section 16-180 of the Code)

b)         The Property Tax Appeal Board may accept into the record all evidence, exhibits and briefs submitted by all interested parties and render a decision without holding a hearing.  On its own motion, the Board may order a hearing to be held at a time and place designated by the Board.  A hearing shall be granted if any party to the appeal submits a request in writing.  (Section 16-170 of the Code)

c)         The decisions of the Property Tax Appeal Board will be based on equity and the weight of the evidence.

1)         In all counties other than Cook, a three-year county wide assessment level to be based on relevant sales during the previous three years as certified by the Department of Revenue will be considered when sufficient probative evidence is presented indicating the estimate of full market value of the subject property on the relevant real property assessment date of January 1.

2)         In Cook County, for residential property of six units or less currently designated as Class 2 real estate according to the Cook County Real Property Assessment Classification Ordinance, as amended, when sufficient probative evidence indicating the estimate of full market value of the subject property on the relevant assessment date is presented, the Board may consider evidence of the appropriate level of assessment for property in that class.  The evidence may include:

A)        the Department of Revenue's annual sales ratio studies for Class 2 property for the previous three years; and

B)        competent assessment level evidence, if any, submitted by the parties pursuant to this Part.

3)         In Cook County, for all other classes of property, when sufficient probative evidence indicating the estimate of full market value of the subject property on the relevant assessment date is presented, the Board will consider the level of assessment applicable to the subject property under the Cook County Real Property Assessment Classification Ordinance, as amended.

d)         Whether or not a hearing is held in the appeal proceeding, the proceeding before the Property Tax Appeal Board shall be terminated when the Board renders a decision.  The Board may revise and/or correct a decision upon its own initiative at any time prior to the expiration of the administrative review filing period as provided in Section 16-195 of the Property Tax Code if a mistake in the calculation of an assessment or other clerical error is discovered.  In this event, the Board shall issue an amended decision.  The decision or order of the Property Tax Appeal Board in any such appeal shall, within 10 days after it is made and entered, be certified to every party to the proceeding and to the proper authorities, including the board of review whose decision was appealed, the County Clerk who extends taxes upon the assessment in question, and the County Collector (Treasurer) who collects property taxes upon the assessment.

e)         A majority of the Members of the Board is required to make a decision of the Board.

f)         If a petition is filed by a taxpayer with the Property Tax Appeal Board, the taxpayer is precluded from filing objections based upon valuation in the Circuit Court as may otherwise be permitted by Sections 21-175 and 23-5 of the Property Tax Code.  (Section 16-160 of the Code)

g)         If a taxpayer files objections based upon valuation in the Circuit Court as permitted by Sections 21-175 and 23-5 of the Property Tax Code, the taxpayer is precluded from filing a petition contesting the assessment of the subject property with the Property Tax Appeal Board.  (Section 16-160 of the Code)

h)         If the Property Tax Appeal Board renders a decision lowering the assessment of a particular parcel after the deadline for filing complaints with the board of review or after adjournment of the session of the board of review at which assessments for the subsequent year or years of the same general assessment period, as provided in Sections 9-215 through 9-225 of the Code are being considered and, within 30 days after the date of the written notice of the Property Tax Appeal Board's decision, the taxpayer may:

1)         appeal the assessment for such subsequent year directly to the Property Tax Appeal Board; and/or

2)         appeal the assessment for all subsequent years within the same general assessment period directly to the Property Tax Appeal Board.

(Section 16-185 of the Code)

i)          If the Property Tax Appeal Board renders a decision lowering the assessment of a particular parcel on which a residence occupied by the owner is situated, such reduced assessment, subject to equalization, shall remain in effect for the remainder of the general assessment period as provided in Sections 9-215 through 9-225 of the Code, unless that parcel is subsequently sold in an arm's length transaction establishing a fair cash value for the parcel that is different from the fair cash value on which the Board's assessment is based, or unless the decision of the Property Tax Appeal Board is reversed or modified upon review. (Section 16-185 of the Code)

j)          The contesting party may, at any time before the hearing begins, move to withdraw or voluntarily dismiss the appeal, by written request filed with the Board and all other parties to the appeal.  Motions to withdraw or voluntarily dismiss an appeal are favored by the Board and will be denied only in the most extreme or compelling circumstances.

k)         The Property Tax Appeal Board shall consider compulsory sales of comparable properties for the purpose of revising and correcting assessments, including those compulsory sales of comparable properties submitted by the taxpayer.  (Section 16-183 of the Code)

(Source:  Amended at 43 Ill. Reg. 2158, effective March 1, 2019)