Assessor’s Office Hires Staff to Handle Workload After 6% Multiplier Hits Property Owners

ARTICLE SUMMARY: Following the application of a 6% property assessment multiplier across Green Garden Township, the assessor’s office has hired a new staff member to help manage the increased workload and resident inquiries.

Key Points:

• Assessor Jane Bushong introduced new staff member Helen Selzer, a Certified Illinois Assessing Officer, to help address resident questions and appeals.

• The county’s Supervisor of Assessments applied the 6% multiplier to all residential properties to align assessments with rising market values; the increase will appear on 2025 tax bills payable in 2026.

GREEN GARDEN – The Green Garden Township Assessor’s Office is staffing up to handle an influx of resident inquiries after a 6% assessment multiplier was applied to all residential properties in the township.

At the township board’s August 11th meeting, Assessor Jane Bushong introduced Helen Selzer, a newly hired Certified Illinois Assessing Officer (CIAO), as a “significant asset for our township and our residents, especially during the appeal season.”

The hiring comes as property owners are receiving their new assessment notices, which reflect the 6% increase mandated by the Will County Supervisor of Assessments. Bushong explained the multiplier is necessary “to ensure that all properties within our township are assessed high enough to equal our current market values, which continue to go up year after year.”

The increase will affect 2025 tax bills, which are payable in 2026. Bushong noted that Green Garden’s multiplier was lower than those in 19 other Will County townships.

She urged residents who see an increase greater than 6% to contact her office for an explanation, as it likely reflects other factors. “If we determine you are over-assessed, we can make adjustments for you without even having to go to the Board of Review,” she said, while asking for patience due to the high volume of calls. The board later approved a budget transfer to ensure funding for the new staff position.