Townships set property values for all local properties. The Lockport Township Assessor might more accurately be called a property appraiser. The Assessor has no control over the levies of taxing bodies nor the tax rate. The primary function of this office is to place fair market values on property for taxing purposes.
To help keep your real estate taxes as low as possible ...
General Homestead Exemption: Home must be owner occupied. This exemption reduces your assessed value by $5000.00. No need to contact us; we will automatically process this exemption for you.
Homestead Improvement Exemption: Four year exemption on additions etc.
Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption: If you are 65 years of age or older, this exemption reduces your homes assessed value by $3500.00. To apply for this exemption, please bring in the deed to your home with proof of age (drivers license or birth certificate) to our office.
Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze: This freezes the assessed value of your residence. You must be 65 years of age or older with a total household income of $50,000.00 or less to qualify. Application forms are available in our office.
When you receive your annual real estate tax bill ...
Inspect It Carefully Make sure all qualified exemptions have been applied. These include Homestead, Senior Homestead, Home Improvement, or the Senior Freeze (The amounts of the Senior and general exemptions are combined).
Has Your Property Been Accurately Assessed To make sure your property has been accurately appraised, please call the Township Assessor and request that the assessment records be described to you. This description will allow you to possibly find that a full basement is being assessed when part of yours is only a crawl space, or that a brick structure is being assessed and yours is constructed of wood.
Assessment Complaints Complaints based on excessive assessed value or comparison with other properties should be made when assessments are published in the fall. Only factual errors can be corrected for the current tax assessment.
Study how the tax bill’s dollars are distributed to local taxing bodies Note increase or decreases from the previous annual bill. Do you wonder why there always seem to be more increases than decreases? Though annual budget hearings for each taxing body are open to the public, most are minimally attended.
Controlling Property Taxes If property taxes (yours especially) are to be controlled, and perhaps even reduced, the taxpayers must assume more responsibility by attending annual budget hearings and “asking a lot of questions”. That is a good way to begin.
