Orland Park offering property tax rebate

Originally Published:  December 8, 2013

Orland Park will again this year rebate to eligible residents part of the village’s portion of the property tax that was paid in 2013. To qualify, you must own a single-family home, townhouse, condominium and/or a multi-unit apartment building.

Residents will get a partial rebate if all application requirements are met by the Dec. 13 deadline. The individual amount of your refund will be determined after all applications are received. The amount approved by the village board for distribution among those who qualify is $2.2 million.

Joe La Margo, Orland Park’s public information officer, said each residential property owner received a rebate last year of $155.55, with 16,072 applying for the rebate. This year, assuming the same number of property owners apply, the expected rebate would be $136.88, he said.

La Margo said the village board arrived at the $2.2 million rebate figure based on about $1.05 million in savings on various capital projects and deferring others totaling about $1.08 million.

I found that information eye-opening when you consider the amount of construction projects now happening around the village. Being able to save on capital expenses seems pretty good in this economic climate.

Anyone who has traveled the streets in Orland Park knows that, although it may be more difficult during construction, especially on major roads such as LaGrange Road, the improved and widened streets mean easier traveling in the village in the long run.

There are a number of ways to apply for the property tax rebate. You can do so online at www.optaxrebate.com. Follow the instructions, and you’ll need a scanner attached to your computer to complete the application online. Prior to logging in, have your driver’s license, current Orland Park water bill and your 2012 second installment property tax bill available. If you need to obtain a copy of your 2012 tax bill, contact the Cook County Treasurer’s Office at www.cookcountytreasurer.com to obtain a copy.

Another way to apply is by mail or to hand-deliver the application to the village hall. You will need to fill out the form, which is available at various locations including the village hall, Sportsplex, Franklin Loebe Center and the Orland Park Public Library and can also be downloaded online.

You will need photocopies of your license and the two other documents to complete the application. If you do not have access to a printer or a scanner, no worries! The staff at the cashier’s office at village hall will scan your documents free of charge.

After filling out the form and attaching the photocopies, either mail it to the village hall at 14700 Ravinia Ave., Orland Park, IL 60462 or drop it off.

“About 12 years ago, when the village decided to add .75 percent to the sales tax through home-rule powers, it was to provide additional money to do more roadwork and address traffic congestion,” Mayor Dan McLaughlin said. “At the time, the village agreed that the additional income would be used to rebate real estate taxes to our residents, in part for putting up with the congestion caused by our growing retail base and as a benefit of living in a town with a strong retail base.”

Orland Park provided the rebate for several years — using the extra sales tax revenue to provide matching funds for several major road projects managed by the Illinois Department of Transportation, including the improved LaGrange Road intersections with 143rd and 159th streets.

The village had to suspend the tax rebate program when its sales tax income declined during the economic recession, but McLaughlin and the trustees agreed to bring it back as soon as financially feasible, which they did last year, albeit with a rebate reduced from those in the past.

“We are very proud of the village’s balanced budget and the level of services and public improvement projects we’ve been able to complete,” the mayor said. “My objective is to continue and increase the rebate in the future.”

For more information on the tax rebate, visit the village website (www.orland-park.il.us) or call (708) 403-3086.