Farm Bureau Hiring Practices at the Board of Review
Cook County Farm Bureau® sent the following letter to Cook County Commissioners regarding Fair Hiring Practices at the Board of Review:
The Cook County Board of Review is tasked with fairly and impartially reviewing the assessments of all property within Cook County to the extent authorized by the Property Tax Code. The Board corrects all assessments which should be corrected, raises, lowers, and/or directs the Cook County Assessor to change, correct, alter, or modify assessments as may be required. It also uses the authority provided by the Property Tax Code to ensure a full, fair, and impartial assessment of Cook County property.
To complete its mission, the Board of Review recently implemented the Digital Appeal Processing System (DAPS), which provides the public with a state-of-the-art interactive electronic appeal system. The DAPS has created efficiencies so that the Board can adjudicate a higher volume of appeals in a more efficient and transparent manner. The system has also made filing more interactive and convenient for the public to use. In fact, the Board of Review expects appeals to reach 250,000 this year up from 180,000 just a few years ago.
During the budget process, the County Board recognized the efficiency of the DAPS and allocated additional staff position to handle the increased appeals volume. Given that Board of Review Commissioners are elected from equal size districts and that all three commissioners review the appeals submitted, the additional staff members authorized by the county board should be allocated equally among Board of Review Commissioners.
Cook County Farm Bureau® supports the Fair Hiring Plan resolution introduced during the December Board of Review meeting. The resolution would ensure that Board of Review Commissioners can fairly and equitably represent the taxpayers of Cook County.
As the county’s largest general farm organization, Cook County Farm Bureau® is dedicated to bridging the gap between farmers and urban consumers. Through education programs targeting youth and their parents and programs designed to connect farmers with potential consumers, Farm Bureau members are actively engaging in conversations about food and the shared values between farmers and consumers.