By Free Republic | Created at 2024-11-20 16:45:54 | Updated at 2024-11-23 11:37:08
2 days ago
Government mix-up leads taxpaying homeowner in Chicago to have house sold from underneath her
The Blaze ^ | November 20, 2024 | Cortney Weil
Posted on 11/20/2024 8:03:16 AM PST by Red Badger
AChicago woman is fighting to keep her home after a government mix-up led officials to sell her house from underneath her on account of supposedly "delinquent taxes."
Robin McElroy bought her home in the Morgan Park area of Chicago back in 2012. Since then, she said she has paid the taxes owed on the property and even kept receipts of her payments.
"I do not like wasting money. ... I pay my bills," McElroy told CBS News.
Despite those consistent payments, in 2019, McElroy began receiving notices that her property taxes were in arrears and that her property was in danger of being sold.
McElroy demanded an explanation. In April 2019, she received a letter from the Cook County Treasurer's Office confirming that the county assessor's office had accidentally mixed up McElroy's property identification number — the unique 14-digit number used for tax-related purposes, according to Yahoo News — with that of her next-door neighbor.
She was then told that there were "no grounds to proceed with a sale" of her home, that the assessor's office would make an "internal correction," and that the issue would be resolved. "Don't worry about it," she recalled being told.
It turns out, McElroy still had plenty to worry about since the "internal correction" the letter promised apparently never took place. Earlier this year, she received a letter from Cook County Circuit Court informing her that her house had been "sold for delinquent taxes."
In fact, the letter added that McElroy actually owed the new homeowner three years' worth of rent. Bearing no ill will, McElroy expressed sincere concern for all the trouble that the other homeowner has had to endure as well.
"This lady should not have to be put in this position to go through all of this headache and heartache," she told CBS News. "This is stressful."
McElroy has since hired a lawyer — paid for out of pocket — to help her straighten out the problem.
CBS News has also been in contact with the assessor's office. While a spokesperson there declined an on-camera interview, the office did confirm that the property identification numbers had been corrected, that McElroy is current on her taxes, and that officials are currently working with a legal team to resolve the problem.
McElroy remains skeptical.
"You guys can point fingers all day long. I don't care," she told CBS News. "I want what's rightfully [owed] to me."
McElroy had a deadline earlier this month to file a response in court, the outlet added. Whether she filed that response and whether the court has issued any other rulings remain unclear.
TOPICS: Computers/Internet; Local News; Society
KEYWORDS: brandonjohnson; callcapone; chicago; cookcounty; demagogicparty; illinois; lawyerup; lorilightfoot; morganpark; robinmcelroy
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It's not called 'CROOK COUNTY' for nothing......................
1 posted on 11/20/2024 8:03:16 AM PST by Red Badger
To: Red Badger
Petty bureaucrats in government love the power they have over us. Especially the power to seize private property.
2 posted on 11/20/2024 8:07:55 AM PST by I want the USA back (Voltaire: To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.)
To: Red Badger
Years ago I had a huge problem with the state tax department.They claimed I owed $29,000 in back taxes.I hired a lawyer who got all my W-2s,tax returns,etc.
Turns out I owed $74...including penalties and interest.
But I had to pay the lawyer $2,000.
3 posted on 11/20/2024 8:15:03 AM PST by Gay State Conservative (Import The Third World,Become The Third World)
To: Red Badger
Forget it, Jake. It’s liberal town.
4 posted on 11/20/2024 8:15:05 AM PST by Jonty30 (Genghis Khan did not have the most descendants. His father had more. )
To: Red Badger
Property taxes; the most insidious of all.
Paying taxes on something you paid money for that has already been taxed.
Special place in hell for whomever came up with that scheme.
5 posted on 11/20/2024 8:19:20 AM PST by lgjhn23 ("On the 8th day, Satan created the progressive liberal to destroy all the good that God created..." )
To: Gay State Conservative
A good lawyer would have had the government pay the fee...........
6 posted on 11/20/2024 8:19:46 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
To: Red Badger
Even if the county actually fixes the problem that is not enough. They should have to pay this lady mega bucks for what they did.
7 posted on 11/20/2024 8:20:13 AM PST by Revel
To: Red Badger
"I want what's rightfully [owed] to me."
That would be all her legal and other expenses, along with punitive damages, paid out of the various bureaucrats' own pockets.
8 posted on 11/20/2024 8:22:31 AM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
To: Red Badger
Affirmative action government employees can screw up a wet dream. I hope she sues their asses off and gets all of their money and Chicago Cubs memorabilia. It’s possible if she shops for the right “judge”.
9 posted on 11/20/2024 8:23:20 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer (Let's Go Brandon! FCS (Schumer))
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